Only Forever
by LostInMiddleEarth
Summary: Lieutenant Vivian Malone joined the war through the desire to fight for her country. With little ties to keep her at home it's not like anything is stopping her. Nobody ever said war was easy. Being one of a few handpicked females to participate in the war, Vivian has the future of the Airborne on her shoulders as she tries to make it through the War with the help of Easy Company.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.**

* * *

 **June, 1942**

"Lieutenant Malone, Colonel Sink wishes to see you." A voice called from across the camp. I turned around to see Lieutenant Speirs walking towards me, a smirk playing upon his lips. I fell in step beside him as he accompanied me to find the Colonel.  
"Do you know what for?" I asked him, looking up at him. I studied his face, searching for any clues on the reason behind this order.  
"I'm not sure what he wants, all I know is that it concerns you." He told me. I nodded, thinking of all the possible things I could be in trouble for. I couldn't think of anything off the top of my head and decided it wasn't worth getting too distressed over.

When we reached the door of his office, Lieutenant Speirs turned to me. One eyebrow cocked at me slightly as he looked between me and the door.  
"I wish you the best of luck." He smiled before giving me a small nod and turning on his heels to walk away. I sighed and straightened out my uniform. I took a sharp breath and knocked upon the door. I waited a moment, nervously shaking my hands off as I closed my eyes.  
"Enter." The familiar voice of Colonel Sink called. My eyes snapped open and slender fingers wrapped themselves around the doorknob. I swung the door open before marching in and standing at attention before him. My fists clenched into tight balls as the tips of my nails dug into the flesh of my palm. Intense blue eyes set on the Colonel as I waited attentively to see what would become of me.

"At ease Lieutenant." He smiled before motioning to the chair in front of his desk, "Have a seat."  
I glanced quickly down at the chair, feeling my muscles relax slightly. The soft smile on the Colonels face told me that I wasn't in trouble but it did not yet clear up the mystery as to why I was here. I sat down, getting comfy in the chair. I perched on the edge, my hands wringing one another out in my lap. I carefully watched as Sink sat in the seat behind the desk, eyes fixated on me.  
"Do you know why you're here?" He asked me, one eyebrow raised. I shrugged slightly, giving myself a little more time to compose an appropriate answer.  
"I have absolutely no idea, Sir." I told him, not daring to move at all.

"Well, as you know, you are one of the six females picked to join the Airborne. Out of all the women I can see the most potential in you and I feel that it is wasted with Dog Company. Lieutenant Malone, you're both an extraordinary women and soldier.I feel like we can get even more out of you in Easy Company. They have the best record on camp and its an opportunity for you to show us what you can do. So therefore of immediate effect you've been transferred into Easy. "He told me. I sat there, just letting it sink in. I was to transfer companies, leaving my female companions behind. I had to start all over again with a new group of men and god knows whether they'd accept me as a soldier, let alone an officer.  
"I get to stay in my current barracks though, don't I sir?" I asked, my eyebrows knitted together in confusion as I pondered over it. The barracks in which I resided belonged to D Company so with my transfer I doubted I'd be allowed to stay.  
"You are to go back to your Barracks and collect your things. You are to share with the other officers of Easy Company."  
"But Sir, they're men." I protested, also stating the downright obvious. I had a point though. One of the first things that was drilled into us when we entered Camp Toccoa was that there was to be no fraternizing with any male soldier. The consequences had been made all too clear to us.

"When at war you will have to share facilities with them so you might as well get used to it. You know the rules and consequences so I expect them not to be broken" He sighed, his eyes softening slightly. I felt slightly disheartened that I was being thrown in at the deep end and all my ties were being cut.  
"Yes sir." I said, trying not to let my emotions show. He looked at me, walking around from behind his desk. He placed a soft hand on my shoulder as he knelt in front of me. Gentle eyes rested on me as my own flickered to meet his. A soft smile made its way onto my face as he began to speak to me.  
"You've grown into a fine young woman, Vivian. You've done me so proud, don't let me down now." He smiled softly, encouraging me to go on. I knew that I was receiving no special treatment as my Uncle Robert had never worked that way. We both knew I'd worked my ass off for what I had and as family he wanted to push me further to allow me to get the best out of myself.  
"Yes Uncle." I smiled, dropping formalities momentarily. He gave me a small nod now as he stood back up, straightening his uniform out.

"Well Lieutenant Malone, I suggest you go assemble your belongings; Lieutenant Winters will take you to your new accommodation." He nodded, sitting back behind his desk. I stood up, bringing myself to attention. I brought my arm up to a salute before snapping it back down to my side. I quickly marched out of the room, feeling my legs tremble beneath me. I felt like my roots had been torn out as my mind replayed everything that had just been said.  
I walked out of the building, not sure whether I should be pleased or not about the situation at hand. I let out a long, agitated sigh. Since joining I'd been assigned to Dog company along with five other women. I'd gotten to know them now but on the other hand I felt proud to be moved to the best company. it meant I was progressing and proving that women could in fact do the same job as men. If I could succeed in Easy company, I could succeed anywhere. Everybody on camp had heard of Easy Company and their high standards but I'd also heard of their commanding officer, Lieutenant Herbert Sobel.

Upon arriving at my Barracks, I saw two of the other girls sat on their beds. They looked up at me, worry shining in their young eyes.  
"Is Colonel Sink sending you home?" Florence asked. Florence was the youngest of us all, but only a year younger than myself. She was 21 years old with a mane of long black hair and bright green eyes. Her dark hair contrasted sharply against her pale skin. Florence was a Sergeant, the only other female besides myself to hold a rank. Florence had been my first friend in the company. We'd both arrived together and clicked instantly. We'd gelled together as the weeks progressed and now I found it almost painful to be torn apart from her.

Beside her, Dot sat, wide eyed. Dorothy 'Dot' Marples was a petite girl of 25 years. Her hair was a flaming red colour and she was far too kind for war. She was a Medic though and thrived at her trade, fueled by the desire to help people. Taking her nature into account, it came to no surprise that she was a Nurse before this whole war started. Whenever I thought of Dot, I could imagine her zipping around a hospital, helping everybody as best she could. Up until now, the thought of her being my medic seemed to bring a sense of ease over me. She was more trained than most and I could see her going that extra mile...only now she wasn't to be my medic. I'd have somebody else taking care of me if the day should come where I was to be hit.

"No." I said softly, sitting down beside Dot on her bed. I could feel Flo's eyes burning into me as she waited for my announcement. As soon as I'd entered my barracks the pair had known something was up.  
"Then what is it?" Dot asked me, fear in her blue eyes as she stared intently at me. I sighed, playing with my hands in my lap as I mulled over the right words. It took me a moment to make my eyes meet hers as a lump formed in my throat.  
"I'm to be moved to Easy Company on the orders of Colonel Sink. He thinks it will allow me to reach my full potential and better suits my needs." I sighed, removing my head dress and placing it on the bed beside me. I took a sharp breath before continuing. "The transfer has immediate effect."  
"But you're to stay here with us right?" Florence asked hopefully, looking for the silver lining. I shook my head slowly at them, sadness now on my face.  
"Sorry ladies but you won't have the pleasure of my company anymore." I said, slowly pushing myself to my feet. Looking down, I could see that both girls had retreated deeply into thought. I'd not been lost but we were already been torn apart before the war properly started for us. Both stared at the floor, unable to form any words. I didn't know what to say so I slowly made my way over to my bed space, deciding that it was best to start gathering up my few belongings.

As I was packing, the girls soon came over to help me. They were gentle with my stuff as though it was their own and soon all my belongings were in a bundle on my bed. I looked at the empty bed space, something I'd not expected to see until we were shipped out. Already the room seemed a little more empty.  
We all sat on the end of my bed in silence. I didn't know what to do. Without the girls I'd have nobody when we went to war. So far we'd been through everything together, thick and thin.  
As we sat there huddling together, my mind wandered towards the other absent females in Dog Company.  
"Where are the other girls?" I asked, voicing my thoughts. I looked at my two companions, hoping they'd know the answer so I'd get a chance to bid the others farewell. Who knows when I'd next get to properly speak to them.  
"Katherine is in the Infirmary training and both Henrietta and Susan are still having lunch or just lounging about with the men." Florence told me, offering me a small smile.

"Will you tell them where I've gone?" I asked softly. They both nodded, leaning further into me. Our small moment was broken up as a knock sounded from the door. I guess my time in Dog Company was officially up. If I remembered correctly, a Lieutenant Winters should be waiting for me. I patted the girls knees before pushing myself to my feet. I shakily walked over to the door, trying to even my breathing out. I opened the door to reveal quite a tall man. His hair was ginger and his forest green eyes studied me instantly. A small smile made its way onto his face before he extended his hands formally towards me. I took it in my own, only shaking it as he spoke to me.  
"I'm Lieutenant Richard Winters. You must be Lieutenant Malone." he smiled softly, releasing my hand after a moment. I gingerly brought my hand back to my side as my eyes still studied this man.

"I am. It's a pleasure to meet you Lieutenant." I smiled warmly at him, taking in his appearance. His uniform was pristine and he gave off an overall good first impression. I could sense the girls trying to peer at our guest so after a moment my manners caught up to me. "Would you like to come in for a moment?"  
"Thank you." He nodded, stepping over the threshold and entering our accommodation. I propped the door open, allowing light to stream in. As Winters looked around our barracks, I looked over his uniform once more. It was flawless. He was a walking message of the standards in Easy Company.  
"Ladies, this is Lieutenant Winters from Easy Company." I introduced his with a small smile as I walked over to join them. Their eyes were instantly upon him as they greeted him warmly. He smiled and nodded, clearly not knowing what to say. It didn't matter though because I knew that the longer we stayed, the harder it would be for me to leave.

Dot handed me my headdress as I neared her and I placed it gently on top of my chocolate brown hair which was pulled up into a neat bun. I thanked her and Florence as my belongings were passed to me. I held the bag firmly in my hands as Florence slung my rifle over my shoulder. After a brief pause, I shrugged my bag onto my shoulder, feeling a sense of unease settling over me. Another new chapter in my life was about to begin.  
"I guess I best get going." I smiled gently before two sets of arms wrapped themselves tightly around me. I laughed softly, feeling adored by my girls. I blinked back a stray tear, knowing that I was being slightly silly. This wasn't the end for us, it was only just beginning. They pulled away, blushing slightly as they noticed that Winters was intently watching them. I noticed that the look on his face was that of curiosity and not that of resentment that we'd frequently been met with.  
"Are you ready?" Winters asked me, not trying to push me too quickly. His tone of voice told me that he was prepared to give us females a moment. Despite this I nodded and waved to the girls, hoping that I'd see them around camp.  
"You two stay out of trouble." I playfully warned them, earning myself a small nod and a 'yes sir'. With those final words I was whisked out of Dog Company and dropped in Easy.

The pair of us walked through the camp at a steady pace, Lieutenant Winters telling me about the men of Easy Company. He told me all about Lieutenant Sobel and what to expect from the man. I didn't expect him to like me as the men of Dog Company had only just come around to the idea of female soldiers and that was due to the six of us constantly being with them. Despite this though, Herbert Sobel sounded like a different kettle of fish altogether. With a commander like him, I was certainly going to have my work cut out for me. I'd not even met the man yet and I'd already began to stem a disliking towards him.  
He continued to tell me of their training and how frequently they ran Currahee. Dog Company had always ran it often but it was nothing compared to how often Easy did. I felt my stomach drop at his words, knowing I may not be good enough to make it with this company. I was going to have to dig deep and step my game up.

When we reached the Barracks, Richard Winters grabbed the door and held it open for me. I peered inside, carefully studying the room which was to now become my home. It was the same size as my last Barracks although it felt a lot smaller due to the larger occupation within. Despite only being six females, we'd been housed in a ten bed barracks. It just felt more confined and the bed situation did nothing to ease my nerves.  
"There's a couple of empty beds," He smiled warmly, informing me of the situation. "Feel free to choose."  
I stood in the doorway, studying the position of each bed. The first bed was sandwiched between two others, while the second was against the wall. There was virtually no decision to make. I'd prefer to be stuck next to one man rather than two so my mind was made up in a matter of seconds.  
I walked over to my new bed, setting my bag down upon it. I lent my rifle against the wall, being careful to ensure that it would not fall

Winters walked to the bed beside me and seemed to grab the persons belongings. It took me a moment to realise that it must in fact be his bed. His BDU's were laid out on the bed and I didn't know whether to leave or stay. Clearly he needed to get changed. I felt a blush creep onto my face as I nervously pointed a finger at the door.  
"I'll just wait outside." I said in a fluster before almost running out of the barracks. When I got outside, I rested my head against the building, taking in a deep breath. What was I doing here? It was my first day with this company and I already was struggling to comprehend how I would cope with these sleeping arrangements. Had Sink gone stark raving mad? We'd all certainly get a good eyeful of each other whether it was intended or not.  
"Lieutenant Sobel has decided on an inspection. The rest of the company are out there now." Winters told me, emerging from the barracks. My head instantly snapped around and all I could manage was a silent nod. Winters was now in BDU's with his helmet on and rifle slung over his shoulder. I was not dressed as the company were but I guess they had a different training plan to Dog Company. Dog Company had expected a day of light training in classrooms, hence how I was dressed, but Sobel clearly had different plans for Easy.  
"What of my kit, Sir?" I finally managed to ask. I felt stupid for such a blindingly obvious question but it was all in the bag. I was either somewhat punctual and dressed like this or extremely late and in the correct attire. A more preferable option was not available to me so I at least felt the need to ask.  
"Just come as you are." Winters nodded, beginning to stride off. I quickly fell in step beside him, waiting to meet the men for the first time.

He led me through the camp and I soon could hear the screams of a man who clearly wasn't impressed by his company. As we rounded the corner, I caught my first glimpse of Easy's Commander, weaving in and out of the ranks and picking out the tiniest of faults. This had to be Lieutenant Sobel. From a quick glance, I couldn't see a problem with the men of Easy. They all stood perfectly still, probably too afraid of the bollocking they'd received if they dared to move, but none the less they were stiller than statues. They only seemed to become animated when the Lieutenant bore down upon them and they received his wrath.  
Sobel seemed to pay little attention as Winters fell in in front of the men after advising me to fall in at the front and just observe. He too became a statue, only turning his head as he awaited a comment which never came.

I did as I was told told by Winters, biting my tongue to prevent me protesting from this mans grotesque manner. I faced the men as Sobel dug away at them. I felt several pairs of eyes curiously glance at me, eagerness to know who I was and where I'd come from was etched upon their face. I ignored them, just letting my eyes scan over them. I quickly identified the other Officers from their positions. My eyes were drawn to a dark haired officer with matching eyes. I guess I'd spotted who else I was sharing a room with. I couldn't help but wonder about the other men of Easy as Sobel stalked around them. I too was curious to find out who they were. I wondered which man, if any, would become my friend. I wondered who would accept me and who would be willing to fight by my side.


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.**

* * *

"You people are at the position of attention! " Sobel screamed as he stood in front of a rather small man with tanned skin. His booming voice brought me back into reality.  
"Private Perconte, did you blouse your trousers like a paratrooper?" Sobel spat at the small man who didn't even look down before answering. From where I was stood his uniform was fine but clearly Sobel thought otherwise.  
"No, sir." The soldier said, not moving a muscle.  
"Then explain the creases." Sobel demanded, using his height advantage to loom over Perconte.  
"No excuse, sir." He said clearly without skipping a beat.  
"Volunteering is one thing but you've got a long way to prove you belong. Your weekend pass is revoked." Sobel spat before walking through the troops to find a new victim. He quickly found one and I noticed he once again used his height to loom over those taller than him.

"Name." Sobel demanded despite his entire company clearly having their name upon their breasts.  
"Luz, George." The stocky brunette said, presenting his rifle to his leader. Sobel quickly glanced over it, not long enough to find any real problem, and soon announced what he thought was wrong.  
"Dirt in the rear sight aperture. Pass revoked." Sobel said, throwing the rifle back at him. I held back a laugh. I found this whole situation ridiculous. They were training to be soldiers which meant it was fair enough to grill them and make them correct the tiniest of problems but it wasn't worth revoking their weekend passes. With the way Sobel was charging around, I guessed that many of the Easy men hadn't actually seen home since arriving at Camp Toccoa.

Sobel was on the move again, stalking down the front rank. For a moment, he stopped in front of a man named Martin. Sobel glanced down at him momentarily, deciding that Martin was not to be his next victim. Instead, he stalked behind a Sergeant, inspecting his chevrons. He pulled at the stitching, looking for any loose threads that he could scream at the Sergeant for. He was really going out of his way to find an excuse to scream at Easy. I looked at the Sergeant, who's name was Lipton, waiting anxiously to see if he had outdone Sobel.  
"When did you sew on the chevron?" He asked, his voice dangerously low. The Sergeant didn't even turn his head. His eyes focused on that in front of him while he answered his commanding Officer in a level tone.  
" Yesterday, sir."  
"Long enough to notice this." Sobel said, pulling the thread loose and holding it up. It was barely a few millimeters long. I couldn't believe the attitude of Sobel. "Revoked."  
"Sir." Lipton said, acknowledging his unjust punishment. Sobel was on the move once again. I couldn't help but wonder how long this would go on for. To say Easy were the best company, they certainly weren't treated like it.

"Name." Sobel said, standing in front of a man with semi-ginger hair. Irritation was now seeping into his voice. He wasn't acknowledging the company's good turn out. He was only focused on tearing them apart.  
"Malarkey, Donald G." Malarkey announced, presenting his rifle to Sobel.  
"lsn't ''malarkey'' slang for bullshit?" Sobel said, amusement in his voice. For the sake of Malarkey, I hoped that 'Private Bullshit' wouldn't stick to him. Sure, people got nicknames but it wasn't exactly a pleasant one, especially when so closely associated with Sobel.  
"Yes, sir." Malarkey shouted, carefully watching Sobel.  
"Rust on the butt plate hinge spring, Private Bullshit. Revoked." Sobel shouted, throwing the rifle back at Malarkey who struggled to catch it. I watched as the man in front of him, Muck, turned around to throw Malarkey a look. When Muck turned back around it was clear to see that he thought it was bullshit.

"Name." Sobel barked, sizing up to yet another person.  
"Liebgott, Joseph D, Sir." A slender man with dark hair said, presenting his rifle.  
"Rusty bayonet, Liebgott. You wanna kill Germans?" He asked skeptically, glaring down at him.  
"Yes, sir." Liebgott shouted, only to be shot down by Sobel.  
"Not with this." He said, hitting Liebgott's helmet with the bayonet before holding it up in the air. "I wouldn't take this rusty piece of shit to war and l will not take you in your condition. Thanks to these men and their infractions, every man who had a weekend pass has lost it."

As he finished his rant, his eyes seemed to set on me. A smirk momentarily appeared on his face. I could tell he was already looking for any flaws he could pick me up on and I was satisfied to see he found none from his distance, except for my gender. He stalked over, stepping only centimeters away from me. I dug my fingertips into my palm, fighting the urge to take a step away from him. I didn't appreciate his intimidating stance or attitude towards discipline. From the look on his face I could tell that the feeling was mutual.  
"Who are you and why are you with my company?" He demanded, sizing me up in front of his company. I could see all of them had their eyes trained on me as I stood my ground. They all wanted to see how I'd react but I kept my tone level and my face almost emotionless.  
"Lieutenant Malone, Sir." I introduced myself before allowing a small smirk to appear on my face. I knew what I was about to say could potentially give him a heart attack. " As of today I'm part of your company."

His jaw dropped momentarily as he struggled to comprehend this information. I guess that he'd not been properly informed then. He recomposed himself, not willing to let his men see him with his guard down.  
"No you're not. All women are part of Dog Company and that's where they belong. No harlot is going to waltz in and spoil the reputation of Easy Company." He snapped. My blood boiled at his words and his men looked on in disbelief. He had the nerve to insult me. I scoffed, raising one eyebrow at the swine.  
"Well, Sir." I hissed, staring him down, "If you're going to disrespect a woman like that I can only imagine what a pig of a man you are."  
"Sir, she is one of your fellow officers." Winters cut in sharply, not giving Sobel enough time to throw back an insult. "and Colonel Sink recommended her transfer."  
Sobel looked between us in disbelief. This new sense of disbelief seemed to have stemmed from a mixture of me being transferred and Winters daring to stand up to him in front of the men.  
"I'm sure the Colonel would love to listen to all you misgivings." I told him, plastering a smile onto my face. "Why don't you just run along and tell him?"  
I could tell I'd got Sobels blood boiling and I couldn't wait for him to go and tell my Uncle. I think it would be rather amusing for this man to get what he deserves. I knew that Sink would not tolerate a word that came out of Sobels mouth about me.

"Change into your PT gear." Sobel snapped, turning on his men again. "We're running Currahee."  
They all held back a groan, knowing it would only make things worse for them. Winters fell his platoon out and I went to follow him but fingers roughly wrapped themselves around my upper arm. I was jerked around and I frowned at the Lieutenant holding me.  
"Get your filthy paws off of me." I growled, trying to detach him from my arm. His grip tightened as I tried to pry him off. His fingers were digging into my flesh and it stung. I glanced around, realising that it was only Sobel and I out here. The anger etched upon his face warned me to stay quiet and not argue with him.  
"Challenge me in front of my company again Malone and I'll-"  
"You'll what?" I scoffed, cutting Sobel off as he hissed at me. His grip further tightened and he leaned closer to me, his face only inches away from my own. "You can't touch me."  
"Just watch me Malone." He growled, his dark eyes meeting my own. "I will break you."  
"I'd like to see you try." I whispered in a low tone before tearing my arm out of his grip. I could almost hear him growling like a feral dog as I turned my back on him. The only difference between him and said beast is that I would actually turn my back on him as I knew he wouldn't attack. It was a half empty threat, which due to my connections with the Colonel, he could never follow through on.

"What took you so long?" Winters asked me as I walked into the barracks. I shrugged, removing my head dress and carrying it over to my bed.  
"Oh I don't know. I was just being threatened by Sobel. Nothing I couldn't handle." I said, pursing my lips. I noticed the absence of the other officer, realising that the rest of the company was probably now ready. There was nothing like making Sobel hate me more. My lateness would be down to him but I'd receive the blame no doubt.  
"He threatened you?" Dick asked almost in disbelief. I nodded, rummaging through my stuff for my PT gear. I mumbled a response as I plucked it from my bag. I turned my back on Winters, beginning to loosen my tie.  
"Yes he did but I doubt it will go far." I informed him. "And would you mind turning around?"  
I didn't bother turning around to check that he had as I started to quickly tug my clothes off. Right now my main priority was to get out there as quickly as possible. I blocked Winters out slightly, pretending that he was just another female in my dorm.  
"You should tell somebody." He sighed from behind me.  
"And why should I do that?" I asked, tugging on the white shirt. "I've told you and it won't go further. I'd like to see him try."  
"Don't get yourself in trouble." Winters warned me. I could almost hear the worry laced in his voice. A small smile made its way onto my face now as I was fully dressed. I turned around, happy to find Winters with his back to me. I clasped him on the back, a smile making its way onto my face.  
"But what's the fun in that?"

A small smile made its way onto his lips as he shook his head at my words. I was glad to have somebody like Richard Winters being an Officer in my company. It was only my first day but I could already feel myself beginning to trust him. It was clear that he was welcoming me into the company, rather than shunning me as Sobel was and for that I couldn't be more grateful.  
He walked out of the barracks with me, heading to our form up point. I could see the men of Easy Company and Dog Company in front of them.  
"Easy Company. While you run, we'll take your dames to the movies." The men of Dog company taunted. I shook my head slightly as Dick and I started to follow behind the men.  
"Good, they need some female company." Liebgott said, causing the men to break into a run straight through my old company. Companies had always teased one another and it was just harmless fun really. I couldn't help but laugh though at Liebgott's comment.  
As Winters and I followed, I could see the peculiar look on the men of Dog Companies faces.  
"Lieutenant Malone?" One man frowned, unsure of why I wasn't with them. "What's going on?"  
I looked at Winters briefly, hoping for help on what to say. He just shrugged, unsure himself on what to say. I'd have loved to stop and explain the situation to them but I just didn't have time.  
"I transferred. Just ask Lieutenant Speirs." I said bluntly as we broke into a run to catch up with the rest of Easy Company.

I soon found myself panting, struggling to keep up the pace against these men as the hot Georgia sun beat down upon me. They seemed to move a lot faster than Dog Company. I tried to suck in as much oxygen as possible, not being prepared to be beat by Sobel on my first day. If I didn't keep up I was only fueling his belief that women weren't good enough for the army.  
"Where do we run?" Sobel shouted as we all ran up the beaten track.  
"Currahee!" The men chanted in unison to his question. I'd never particularly enjoyed running Currahee but I had always loved the picturesque scenery. I couldn't help but take it in and savour it in my mind. It was breathtakingly beautiful, only right now I was out of puff for a different reason.

"What's Currahee mean?"  
'' **We stand alone!** ''  
"How far up? How far down? "  
" **Three miles up, three down!** "  
"What company is this?"  
" **Easy Company**!"  
"And what do we do?"  
" **Stand alone!** "

I couldn't help but marvel at how well drilled and trained these men were. They were more disciplined than the men of Dog Company and I'd always considered their discipline high. Sure it was down to Sobel's borderline bullying but I guess it helped them thrive not to end up like him. They all ran together in unison, split into three platoons. Each platoon leader ran at the side while Sobel just ran wherever he pleased like an ill disciplined puppy. I was told to run in the middle with the second section of men. Their leader, Winters, was at the back and I was strictly told by Sobel to stay at the front. My breath was now laboured as I paced myself against these men. Sure, they were physically fitter and had a sturdier build than myself but I had the endurance.  
I yelped as I stumbled over a rock, struggling to keep my balance. A pair of strong arms grabbed me, hauling me back to my feet. I quickly regained my footing as Sobel began to scream. Screaming was certainly something he did a lot of.  
"Do not help that man! Do not help that man!" Sobel screamed as the hand lingered on my lower back, preparing to catch me again. Despite his words, the hand did not move and retract back to its owner.  
I shot daggers at Sobel as he ran on and then looked to my left to see who had helped me. I offered them a smile and I realised it was Malarkey, who had taken a grilling from Sobel earlier.

"Thank you." I whispered. He nodded in acknowledgment, a smile breaking out across his fatigued face.  
"Glad I could help ma'am." He beamed at me.  
"It's Malarkey, right?" I asked, feeling the need to confirm it in case I was wrong.  
"Yes ma'am." He nodded, his smile growing further. His eyes looked at me curiously and for a moment he seemed to contemplate over whether he could ask me questions.  
"You're from Dog Company aren't you?" He asked me quietly between breaths. I nodded at him, feeling his hand on my back again as I stumbled over a rock.  
"I was indeed." I nodded, my eyes flickering between Malarkey and the track. I couldn't fall over and twist my ankle. Not today. I couldn't give Sobel the satisfaction. I was about to open my mouth to say something again but Sobel beat me to it, his voice drowning out my own.  
"Do not stop! You have 13 minutes to get to the top of this mountain if you want to serve in the paratroopers." He announced before running off ahead and screaming some stupid motto of his. "Hi-yo, Silver!"

We pushed ourselves, our platoons breaking up into a string of men, all aiming for the same goal. I could see Sobel at the top as I reached the final stretch, shouting some crap about how we weren't good enough. I ran sandwiched between Malarkey and a man that I didn't know. I pushed myself to the top, not daring to let any man overtake me. I felt the need to hold my position and that's what I was going to do. I wasn't too far back in the line up and I was relatively near the front. I had to get to the top. I'd be half way there and it meant that I could recover on the way back down. The hardest part would be over.  
I spotted Winters stood at the top, spurring on his men. I ran quicker, Malarkey shadowing me as I increased my pace.  
"I never expected to see you make it up here. You've got a long way to go to prove you belong, Malone." Sobel sniped as I reached the top. I fought off the urge to snap back at him and focused on getting back down the hill.  
"We are coming on 23 minutes. That may be good enough for the rest of the 506 but that is not good enough for Easy Company!" I could hear Sobel's taunts behind me. I tried to drown him out as my legs protested to me declining the hill. It hurt but I had to keep going. I was almost there.I was one step closer to the end and subsequently one step closer to proving to Sobel that I belonged. I swore then on the side of Currahee that I would be the best god damn soldier that he'd ever seen.

The end to my first day with Easy Company couldn't have come quicker. It was a relief to say the least. I was more exhausted than I had been in all my life, and that included the tough, grueling days that I'd made it through with Dog Company.  
I'd quickly grown a disliking towards Sobel in the afternoon I'd spent with him and I could only hope that he would ease up. I knew that my hopes were pointless but I didn't know how I'd cope with him. He was a pathetic excuse of a man who bullied his men. I mean I could cope with him but it would all go a lot quicker if he wasn't set on causing me to meet my demise.

I collapsed on my bed, happy to be relieved of my duties. A heavy yawn escaped my body and I could barely keep my eyes open. As soon as we'd been relieved, I'd come into the barracks, unpacked my stuff and prepared myself for bed. I'd wanted to go on a wander to find the girls but my fatigued body wouldn't let me.  
I'd managed to secure half an hour alone in the barracks to get myself changed and now that I was in bed, it was time for Winters and the other officers to return. I was curious to meet the, and I all I could ask for was that they weren't a mob of mini Sobels. I could cope with sharing barracks with anybody but Sobel after today.  
"So how was your first day?" Winters smirked at me as he entered the barracks.  
"Sobel's got it in for me." I smirked, staring at the roof to avert my eyes as Winters began to change"But you and you're men are all right."  
"Oh, so we're not as good as Dog company?" He jested with me, causing me to chuckle softly. If only one good thing was to be derived from today, it would have to be meeting Richard Winters. As I'd struggled through my first day he was constantly there offering support, not in a patronising way, and making me laugh. It was clear already that with a bit of time we could become good friends.

"Of course not, Dog company has all the females." I exclaimed, almost as if it was an obvious point.  
"Of course, how could I forget." He laughed, sitting on his bed. I rolled my head over and we both started laughing and snorting as our eyes met.  
"Hey Dick, who's this?" A voice called as the barracks door opened. We both stopped laughing, looking up at the intruder. The dark haired man with matching eyes from earlier walked over and sat himself on the bed beside Winters.  
"Nix, meet Malone." He smiled at the man, adoration clear in his eyes. I could tell that they were already close. It made me smile slightly knowing that they'd become so close. It reminded me of Florence and myself.  
"I'm Lewis Nixon." He smiled at me, looking me up and down as I sat up.  
"Vivian Malone." I smiled, feeling myself blush under his gaze. I was relieved that he wasn't like Sobel.

"So you've got yourself a beautiful Dame, Dick." Nix winked at his ginger haired friend.  
"Oh shut up Lew, she's a new Lieutenant in Easy." He told his friend. Lew looked at me, seeming to revert deep into his own thoughts.  
"I've seen you around haven't I. You were in charge of one of Dog Company's platoons right?" He asked me, an amused smile on his face. I could tell that he wasn't mocking me so I allowed myself to relax slightly.  
"That's right." I nodded, my smile returning to my face.  
"Well Sobel won't be pleased about that." Nixon chuckled, "He's not going to be pleased about having a woman out do him."  
Nixon stood up, moving to his own bed now. I decided to move; crawled into bed. I sat under the covers, averting my eyes Lew now declothed himself. I supposed that all this would too get better with time. I released my brown hair from it's bun, letting it now fall freely down my back.  
"Fancy a drink?" Nixon asked me as he peeled back his covers. I shook my head before politely refusing his offer. I took his gesture as a notion that he accepted me.  
"No thanks, I'd like to get some sleep." I smiled at him. He just shrugged his shoulders, taking a swig of it himself.  
"Night." Winters smiled at me as I laid down with my back to the men.  
"Night." Lew echoed as the lights were switched off and we were plunged into darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note:** **I would just like to thank you all for reading my story and those who have favorited, followed and reviewed my story. Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions you may have as I look forward to reading them.**

 **I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.**

* * *

The next week or so passed quickly as I strived to prove myself to the men of Easy Company. Sobel had tried his hardest to bring me to his heel but I wasn't having any of it. There was a difference between accepting orders and bullshit; I could quickly sort through it. He often butted heads with me, picking fights even where he knew he was wrong. He wanted me to believe him and bring down my confidence in my abilities. I could tell that the challenge was grinding down on him as I refused to let him push me into the dirt.  
None of the men in Easy seemed to adapt Sobel's attitude, although, some of Easy's men were accepting me quicker than the others. At the very least, they all respected orders that came from me, as I would do with Sobel, and carried them out as though I was any regular officer. I was thankful really as it meant I could at least fulfill my purpose. It was just rather amusing to see the shock on their pretty little faces as I proved that I could manage everything that they were capable of. Perhaps that's why they took me seriously: they just didn't want to step in the warpath of a woman that was just as strong as they were.

One thing I had done though was making friends. I'd bonded with the officers as we had no choice really but two members of Easy Company had grown closer to me. The duo which seemed to have taken a shine to me, and I to them, was Skip Muck and Don Malarkey. Ever since he'd caught a hold of me on Currahee, Don Malarkey had become one of my firm friends. It started with him just checking if I was alright at times when he thought I was alone but it soon turned into us chatting away happily to one another. Don had then and gone introduced me to his friend Muck. Muck's comedic character had made me smile instantly and, with Malarkey acting as a bridge, our friendship was quickly formed. I guess that he'd decided that if I was good enough for Malark, I was good enough for him. The pair of them helped the time pass quicker as I adjusted to Easy Company. They kept me smiling even when Sobel was beginning to get to me. They were the first of the men to accept me into Easy company, even as Sobel tried to have them shun me from the group. I'd heard them whispering among the men, encouraging them to let me in. The duo was quickly becoming a dynamic threesome and I was just glad that if I had to spend the war with anybody... it was them.

It was late Friday night and we were completing a 12 mile walk with all our kit with direct orders of not to drink from our Canteens. It was quite a cool night for Georgia and it made the task somewhat easier. The men talked quietly between themselves, something which Sobel would never let them do. I thought that after the training they'd endured, they deserved for Winters and I to cut them some slack. Sobel was the main topic of discussion as now was the only time they could really vent. I walked beside them, listening intently and smirking at their comments. I knew that it was disrespectful to talk of a superior officer as they were but Dick and I just turned a blind eye. Gentle giant Bull Randleman seemed to be the leader of the discussion.  
" Lieutenant Winters." Private Randleman called out, causing Dick and the men around him to briefly glance over.  
"What is it?" Winters asked him, fixing his green eyes upon Bull.  
"Permission to speak, sir?" Randleman requested. Everybody listened in, curious as to what he had to say.  
"Permission granted." Winters smiled, amusement clear in his voice. He faced forwards now, listening to Bull as we continued to march.  
"Sir, we've got nine companies, sir." Bull stated, giving a lapse in the conversation as he paused for a moment.

"We do." Winters confirmed as we all wondered where this was going.  
" So why are we the only one marching every Friday, 12 miles, in the pitch dark?" He asked the red haired Lieutenant.  
"Why do you think, Private Randleman?" Dick asked, amusement laced thickly in his voice. His shoulders shook silently with laughter as the tone of his voice told me that he'd thought of a clever quip.  
"Lieutenant Sobel hates us, sir."Bull said, earning a rumble of agreement from the other men. I disagreed with him on this point. Bull was suggesting that Sobel hated Easy Company. He didn't hate the company as it was like his child but what he did hate was the individuals that formed the company. He hated some more than others, including myself, but he would never do anything deliberately to compromise his command over the company. The individuals were unimportant to him yet the company was everything.

"Lieutenant Sobel does not hate Easy Company, Private Randleman." Dick smirked, glancing over at Bull. A smug edge came to his voice as he continued. "He just hates you."  
Laughter erupted around us as the men closest to Bull clapped his back. I chuckled softly, a small smile making its way onto my lips. I shook my head slightly at Dick's response, knowing that he'd now be wearing an amused smile upon his face.  
"Thank you, sir." Bull shouted back as the men continued to laugh at Winter's remark. Morale seemed to remain high for the rest of the march as the men teased Bull who just laughed it off. Small moments like this were what made me proud to be a part of this company I just felt like I belonged, despite my lack of days in the company, and the bond Easy shared was already stronger than that of any other company. Perhaps we were all just pulled together by a mutual disliking of Sobel. We had to make it through together to prove to tat bastard that Easy were the best.

The noise level died down again as we reached camp Toccoa. Nobody wanted to anger Sobel more than necessary and risk being forced to complete the march long as nobody had drank more than a sip of water, we would be fine.  
Sobel was waiting for us in front of the mens barracks, clearly riled up and already looking for somebody to send on the twelve mile march again. We halted in front of him and as the men stood there waiting, I couldn't help but hope that none of them had been stupid enough to drink.  
"Lieutenant Winters, l want canteens out, caps unscrewed." Sobel snapped at his officer. I always wondered why he didn't do it himself, especially as he was stood right in front of the me.  
Without batting an eyelash, Winters barked orders to his waiting men. "Canteens out and open."  
"They will pour the contents onto the ground." Sobel said, a smirk appearing on his sadistic face. He was beginning to pace now, anxious to see if anybody had disobeyed him. He was preparing to leap on them and tear them apart.  
"You will upend your canteen." Winters now told Easy Company. My eyes nervously scanned the company as I bit my lip.  
"Now, lieutenant." Sobel barked, practically jumping where he stood.  
"Pour them!" Winters commanded, his voice firm.

The men opened their canteens, letting the precious content spill out onto the ground around their feet. Sobel was prowling now, his eyes hungrily scanning the men of his company. I froze as I noticed that Christenson's canteen had stopped producing water. The idiot had drank from it. His eyes nervously glanced around, wondering where Sobel was lurking. I waited, baited breath, fearing what Sobel would do upon discovering Christenson. I felt a pang of guilt, knowing that I'd not stopped the young Private from disobeying the order. As he was concealed on the back rank, all I could do was hope that Sobel missed him.  
" Who is this?" Sobel shouted, spotting the man hidden at the back. I let out a sigh, knowing he would not escape Sobel's wrath. Christenson gulped as the Officer advanced on him, red faced and ready to attack. "Christenson! Why is there no water in your canteen? You drank from your canteen?"  
"Lieutenant Malone!" Sobel screamed, catching me off guard slightly. I raised my eyes to look at him, unsure of why I was being called upon.  
"Yes, sir." I inquired, hoping that I would soon be enlightened.  
"Was this man ordered to not drink from his canteen?" He snarled at me, jabbing a finger at a recoiling Christenson. The poor boy behind him looked petrified.  
"He was, sir."I nodded, knowing that I was dropping the Private in shit.  
"You disobeyed a direct order. You will fill your canteen and repeat all 12 miles of the march." Sobel ordered, a scowl on his face.  
"Yes, sir." He said, falling out to complete the walk again. My heart went out to him. The punishment was not necessary especially taking into account how vital water is. If he needed a drink, he needed it. By taking a drink he was showing good admin as he was taking care of himself. A dehydrated soldier wouldn't get you very far in a war. This was all just a part of Sobel's chickenshit.

"Fall out! " Sobel screamed, dismissing the men for the evening. They scattered quickly, not needing to be told twice. I watched as they disappeared, knowing that while they had evaded Sobel's wrath Dick and I hadn't.  
"What are you doing with my company?" Sobel snarled as he stepped in front of me. Anger burned in his eyes as they focused on me. His eyes met my own and refused to look away "You're late and you allow troopers to disobey orders?""  
"No excuse, sir." Winters said blandly, not rising to his CO. Sobel's eyes didn't leave my own, even as Dick spoke.  
"You're making me look bad." He spat, aiming that comment at me. He continued to stare at me but after a moment of silence he blinked and looked away, unable to hold his nerve.  
"This is not Dog is not Fox is Easy Company. Under my command, this will be the first and finest company." Sobel announced, pacing in front of Dick and myself now. His hands wrung themselves out behind his back as beady eyes set upon us.  
"l want the names of six men their infractions and your disciplinary recommendations by 01 30. ls that clear?"  
" What infractions, sir?" I asked, unable to think of anything these men had done to step out of line.  
" Find some." He snarled, turning away and stalking off. Dick and I exchanged a knowing glance as Sobel left us outside. I guess we'd just been dismissed.

We stood there for a moment, unsure of what we were supposed to be doing. Bed seemed like a good option but I couldn't help but think of Christenson having to complete the march on his own. Sure, it was his fault for breaking the orders but it must be tough to have to do it again without the encouragement of any other man. At this thought, I had quite a stupid idea.  
"Dick," I asked softly, staring up at my fellow officer. His eyes came and met my own as he stared down at me. "How much of a head start do you reckon Christenson got?"  
He glanced at his watch, his eyebrows knitting together. "About ten minutes, why?"  
A small smile made its way onto my face and realisation washed over him.  
"You can't be serious?" Dick questioned, looking at me in disbelief. "Sobel will have you for it."  
"He never ordered me to stay." I smirked, beginning to take a few backwards paces. "Besides, we should lead by example. He could sure do with some help."  
"Vivian, come on." Dick protested, slowly advancing on me. "Just come to bed, it's late enough as it is."  
"Then don't wait up." I shrugged, giving Dick a small wave before i turned my back on him and began to follow the route we'd followed earlier that evening. I didn't know what had come over me to make me want to do that march again. Perhaps I felt sorry for Christenson or perhaps I felt that Easy should stick together. I knew I'd want somebody to do it with me.

I peered over my shoulder to find Dick's eyes still watching me. I smiled slightly, offering him a wave which he now returned. I turned around, feeling my cheeks burn slightly. I continued walking until the darkness wrapped around me like a blanket and Dick could no longer see me before I changed my pace and started a moderately paced run. There was no point in walking again if I didn't do it with Christenson.  
As I ran, I could hear my feet thudding on the ground and my laboured breathing. My legs wobbled slightly as I ran, already fatigued by the previous walk and the days training. Somehow though, I continued at this pace until I saw a figure in the distance. A small smile made its way onto my face and somewhere, I found the energy to spur myself on and move quicker.  
As he heard me coming, Christenson's head snapped around, clearly wary as to who had approached him.  
"It's Malone.." I announced, slightly short of breath as I lowered my gait to a walk. I clasped the young private on the back as I reached him, taking a moment to catch my breath.

"What are you doing here, Sir?" He asked me nervously as I continued to walk beside him, now supporting my own weight. He seemed unsure of how to respond to my unexpected presence.  
"I thought I'd join you." I smiled at him. "It's a rather nice evening for a stroll don't you think?"  
He smiled softly at my attempt of a joke and seemed to ease up slightly. He was walking quicker beside me now and I knew I'd done the right thing by accompanying him.  
"Did Sobel send you?" He asked me now, studying me.  
"No, for once I escaped his wrath." I smiled at Christenson, glancing at him and then back in front of me. "I just thought you could do with some company."  
"Really?" He asked, not seeming to quite believe that somebody would choose to do all this again with all their equipment. I just nodded at him, setting our focus back on the walk.

My feet seemed to ache as we reached the camp at last. I seemed to be a lot further than the last walk but I guess it was just the mileage taking it out on my feet. My arms were dead with the weight of my rifle and I was more than happy to set foot back on camp. We'd completed it. Christenson's energy had began to falter in the last mile or so and somehow I'd managed to spur him on.  
"We made it, Sir." he smiled as we entered the camp. I nodded, knowing I would have to disappear in order to try and avoid Sobel.  
"Christenson." I said softly, placing a hand out to halt the soldier beside me. "Just do me a favour and don't tell Sobel I was here."  
"But why?" He asked, unsure of it. I was unsure of it myself but if Sobel never knew, he could never punish me with it. I'd accomplished twenty four miles but I had a gut feeling that Sobel would do anything but congratulate for me.  
"Just don't okay. Let it stay between you and me."  
He nodded, agreeing to bite his tongue.  
"Anyway, you better go and report to Sobel." I smiled, patting him on the back. "Night, Christenson."  
"Night, Sir." He nodded, setting off again to go find Sobel. I watched him go with a small smile on my face. I felt proud knowing that I'd supported him through it and completed it myself. My reward was getting to go to bed.

I chose to not take my usual route to my barracks tonight in fear that I would run into Sobel. Instead, I found myself going the long way around and covering more distance than necessary. As I was passing through Dog Companies barracks, only a few hundred feet away from the safety of my own barracks, I saw a figure step out of the dark. I halted, holding my breath as I hoped that I was concealed in the dark. For a moment they paused and I thought that I'd gotten away with it until their head snapped up and they looked right at me.  
"Come out of the shadows." They ordered. To my relief, I recognised the voice and I knew that I was safe.  
"Speirs." I smiled, taking a step closer. "Don't threat, it's only me."  
He chuckled softly and in the dim lighting, I saw a smirk appear on his face as he walked over to me.  
"And at are you doing out here?" He asked me softly, cocking his head to one side slightly.  
"Oh, you know.." I shrugged. "Just completing Sobel's night walk and all that malarkey."  
"I saw you guys get relieved a few hours ago." He frowned, his eyes setting on me now. "So why are you still lurking about?"  
I sighed, rubbing the toe of my boot on the ground. "One of our men got made to do it again." I admitted, my eyes nervously flickering up to meet his. "I thought that I could accompany him so that he wouldn't give up."

Speirs shook his head at me, placing a soft hand on my shoulder and guiding me forwards. I guess that I'd just gained an escort for myself.  
"So why are you sneaking through camp?" He asked me, a hint of amusement now in his voice.  
"You've heard of Sobel, right?" I asked, glancing up at Ron. He nodded, his eyes not leaving my face. "Well he's not exactly the type to praise me. If he finds out, all I'll get in the morning is him screaming at me. I'd bet you fifty bucks that he would too."  
"So you've got your work cut out for you in Easy then?" He questioned me, a small smile on his usually stern face.  
"Yes but I'm managing." I smiled as we halted outside my barracks. I turned to face him slightly, enjoying the company of my friend. "I miss you guys like hell though. Wish I could have fetched you all with me."  
"We miss you too, Viv." Speirs assured me, flashing me a smile. I smiled softly but it turned into a frown as a cool breeze blew over us, causing me to shiver.  
"I better get to bed." I said softly, knowing that I had an early start in the morning.  
"That's a good idea." Speirs nodded, his eyes seeming to shine. "Goodnight Vivian."  
"Goodnight Ron." I beamed, turning away from him. I laid my hand against the door for a moment, trying to find the latch in the dark. I opened the door carefully but it still let out a moan of protest. I froze, holding it still as it was. I looked back to see Speirs still watching and I gave him a small nod of acknowledgment before slipping inside.

I slowly closed the door behind me, plunging myself into compete darkness. I took a shaky breath, trying to prepare myself to cross the room without waking anybody up. I clutched onto my rifle, hoping it would somehow steady my swaying body. It felt like I'd been walking forever as I struggled to make out the walls of our dorm but I was sure that I was nearly there.  
I cursed as my foot caught on something, causing me to stumble a few paces as I fought to regain my balance. I felt somebody fumbling around and halted, afraid that I'd woken somebody.A moment later, a torch illuminated the room and I hissed slightly as I shielded my eyes.  
"Vivian, what are you doing?" Dick whispered to me. I glanced over to see him sleepily sitting up in his bed.  
"I, uh, I just got back." I told him, realising that I'd tripped over his bed. "I'm sorry that I woke you."  
"It's fine." He mumbled, laying back down in his bed but keeping his torch on so I could see where I was going. "I'm just glad you made it back okay."  
I smiled softly as I made it to my bed, finally being able to take my kit off. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders- literally.  
In a matter of moments I was crawling into bed, feeling the crisp sheets envelop me in their warmth. My head rested on the pillow and I couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. After a long day, there was nothing better than a bed.  
"Can I turn this off now?" Dick asked after a moment, rolling over to face me. I just nodded and was plunged into darkness once again.  
I was about to close my mind to drift off when I remembered what Sobel had said to us earlier.  
"Dick.." I whispered, getting some sort of grunt as a response. "What about those disciplinary recommendations?"

"Leave it to me, I've sorted it. Get some sleep." He mumbled tiredly before yawning. I merely managed a nod that he would not see, feeling the sudden urge to sleep.  
"Thanks." I yawned, feeling just how sleep deprived I really was.  
I slept peacefully and I was not happy to be woken up the next morning. I heard my name being called but I refused to move, pulling my blanket further around myself. I wanted to stay in this bed for as long as possible. I could already feel my aching muscles so I knew it would be one hell of a day.  
"Wake up." Dick's voice ordered me as I groaned in protest. I tried to swat him away with my hand but gave up, screwing my eyes closed tighter.  
"You need to get up." He said, trying to sound serious but with a hint of amusement in his voice. I groaned again so I felt a pair of hands shaking my side. I whined in protest but he continued to shake me awake.  
"Come on, Dick. A princess needs her beauty sleep." I cracked an eye open at Lew's words, knowing that I might as well cooperate with them .I also did not appreciate Nix referring to me as Princess.  
"I'm up, I'm up." I mumbled, hearing Nix and himself laugh at me. I still didn't move as I let myself come around for a moment. Both of them were dressed already, telling me that they'd let me sleep in a little longer than they should have.  
"Hurry up." Nix smiled down at me, "We'll wait for you outside, princess."  
"Don't call me that!" I shouted, throwing my pillow at Nix who was walking to the door. It hit him in the back of the head, causing his head dress to fall off. He bent down to pick his head dress and my pillow up, shooting me a joking glare as he span back around.  
"Just hurry up." He laughed, throwing the pillow back at me.

"So, what did you do?" Nix asked, referring to the disciplinary orders, as we were handed our breakfast. I didn't particularly like Army food and I supposed it could be worse but I couldn't help but look at the food on my plate in disgust. Winters had been filling Lew in on our situation with Sobel. Winters told him that six men were to be given Latrine duty in order to keep the monster happy. We sat down at a table and I just poked at the slop on my plate, nibbling at it slightly. I wasn't hungry, at least not hungry enough to eat the so called food that was in front of me. I just wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep for another hour.  
"The lucky six?" Nix asked, eager to find out who had the duty. I listened, intrigued to who Winters had chosen while I was out.  
" McDonald, Toye, Perconte, Lipton, Muck and Guarnere." He said, taking a scoopful of porridge.I pursed my lips, thinking about the six that he had chosen. None of them had done anything wrong - but neither had the rest of Easy.

"Why them?" I asked, moving the porridge around with my spoon.  
"lt was their turn." He shrugged. Nix laughed at this, amused by what actually happened in the company. I was still adjusting to Sobel's methods as nothing like this ever happened in Dog Company.  
"Sobel's a genius.l had a headmaster like him in school. l know the type." Lew reminisced, a small smile on his face.  
"Lewis, Michelangelo's a genius. Beethoven's a genius." Winters shook his head at his friend. I sipped at my coffee, watching the pair of them.  
"You know a man who wouldn't double-time Currahee just to piss in that guy's morning coffee?" Nix smiled evilly, earning himself smirks from Winters and I. I guess he was right in a way as I'd happily double time Currahee in full kit too just to piss in his morning coffee but that didn't make Sobel a genius.


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note:** **I would just like to thank you all once again for reading my story and for the reviews, they actually make my day.**

 **Please enjoy the next chapter as it's hopefully a little different from other stories.**

 **I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.**

* * *

My time in Easy company passed quickly. I'd rarely seen the girls but on the few occasions I had, they'd informed me on how much they missed. me. The weeks flew by quicker the closer I got to my fellow Officers. All nine of us were on first name basis now and were relatively close. I was glad Winters and Nixon had accepted me into their duo as they were both fine men. The men in Easy Company were beginning to grow fond of me and I'd began to forge some strong friendships outside of Muck and Malarkey. Training progressed quickly now and our time at Toccoa was almost up. This meant that we'd more or less survived Sobel and he had somehow survived us- for this phase of training at least. There'd been days where we wanted to kill him more than others but we were all still here. One day he'd promised us a light afternoon so we'd all shoveled the Spaghetti dinner down our necks but Sobel had changed his mind, forcing us to run Currahee. Many a man lost their lunch that day- myself only just managing to retain it after a six mile battle- and many more were lost from Easy as they accepted a ride in the ambulance. Only the strongest were left.

With our training, every man had now more or less mastered their specific role whether it be rifles, machine gunner or mortars. Every man could perform their skill to the highest standard while the rest of us knew the basics so that if anything happened in combat, we could take over.  
We'd learnt as a company how to jump from Airplanes sufficiently and safely. The tip was to roll of your feet, fighting against instinct, to assure that you'd do it without injury. If you did not role to the floor, there was a strong chance of broken limbs.  
We'd started on assault courses when we reached Toccoa, first of all in our PT gear and a basic course. Near the end of training, we'd now progressed into doing it in our uniform with rifles, as well as a harder course. We were all required to crawl through pig and sheep guts, molding us into true soldiers. I tried not to let anything phase me, not letting my old self fade away as we were battle hardened and prepared for the brutality of war.

Life in Easy Company was only getting harder by the day. The recently promoted Captain Sobel had become even more of a vulture and it was clear which two Officers had crossed his radar. I myself was one of them, still for the simple reason that I was a woman. The other officer was recently promoted Lieutenant Richard Winters. We'd always known of Sobel's disliking of Dick, simply because of the shine the men took to him, but Dick had always rose above it and managed to ignore it- not wanting to pick a fight with his CO. However, Dick was now a marked man as Sobel had never even been consulted about his promotion. We were all just waiting for it all to blow up as the tensions between the officers in Easy continued to rise.

Late one Autumn night, Easy Company was out on a field exercise. All we had to do was adopt a defensive position and hold it until the enemy wandered past us. The men were adequately spread out and we were as quite as a mouse. By now we knew that the slightest rustle of a leaf beneath us could give away our position as the sound carried through the woods, especially at night. The darkness made it somewhat hard to actually tell whether it was a figure in the distance or trees so most of us had to rely on our hearing to let us know if they were approaching. We were constantly looking out of the corner of our eyes, hoping to see the enemy before we all nodded off. Don't get me wrong, it was exciting but the darkness seemed to smother us while it simultaneously lulled us to sleep.  
We waited for what felt like forever, becoming statues on the ground. Nothing seemed to be happening but a sudden gust of wind swept through the forest, causing the leaves to rustle and dance. I watched in horror as Sobel jumped up screaming "Here they come! Here they come!"  
If this had been a real ambush we'd all have been dead. Every man was watching as Sobel made a spectacle of himself, further proving that his snap decisions were usually disastrously wrong. He didn't think and he certainly didn't consult anybody else.

As an officer, I knew that I had to put an end to this. We couldn't have anybody, especially our commanding officer, acting like this so I did what I would do to any other soldier.  
"Captain Sobel." I hissed from my position, getting no response as he continued to stare eagerly into the dark woods. "Captain Sobel."  
"He ain't listening to ya and he ain't gonna unless you make him." Bill Guarnere whispered from beside me. I glanced at Sobel, only a few feet away and I knew that I had to take care of this. I was the closest officer to him, meaning I could put this mess down the quickest. As quietly as possible, I pushed myself to my feet, trying to keep as noise to a minimum. I didn't know why I was still trying not to give away our position when Sobel had announced it to the entire world. I slunk forwards, getting close to him without alerting him.  
"Sir, I suggest you sit back down." I whispered. Sobel seemed to jump before quickly spinning around. I grunted as Sobel's rifle collided with the side of my face, knocking me to the floor.  
"What are you doing Lieutenant!" Sobel shouted, seeming to once again forget that this was supposed to be a tactical maneuver. I ignored him as a throbbing sensation took over the right side of my face. I pushed myself into a sitting position against a nearby entire right hand side of my face just seemed to ache and I gingerly brought a hand to my face. When I pulled it away, my hand was smeared with blood. I was unsure of where it had come from although I could now begin to feel it dripping down my face.  
"I asked you a question, Lieutenant." Sobel hissed, crouching down in front of me. I brought my eyes up to meet his, hatred burning in them. Somehow he'd manipulated the situation in his head so that I was the one in the wrong.

He opened his mouth, presumably to reprimand me but a figure rushed over and I instantly recognised them.  
"What's going on here?" Dick demanded to know in a hushed tone as his eyes burnt into Sobel. He glanced briefly at me, giving me a small nod to let me know that I was not at blame. Dick had the patience of a saint compared to myself but it was clear that Sobel was grinding down on him.  
"What are you doing out of your position?" Sobel asked Dick, not bothering to lower his voice. I groaned, resting my head against the tree as my eyes felt heavy. A small headache was starting to come on now and I just wanted to get this over and done with. We didn't have time for Sobel's chickenshit. He was the one in the wrong and he needed to man up and take responsibility.  
"Captain, we could hear you shouting from our position." Dick growled, causing Sobel to tear his gaze from me and now focus on Dick.  
"Are you questioning my command, Lieutenant?" He asked Dick with an animalistic glint in his eyes.  
"Of course he's not." I said softly, having both officers focus their attention on me. My voice sounded feeble as I spoke, making me wonder if I'd be taken seriously. I was unsure of how Sobel would respond to me but I knew that I may as well come out with it "He was just wondering what all the screaming was about. You were hardly discrete, Sir. In combat you would have gotten us all killed."  
"How dare you." Sobel spat, blinded and unable to see his own errors. "You'll pay for this back on camp, Malone."  
I raised my left eyebrow, feeling the sudden urge to laugh at Sobel. I brought a hand up to my mouth, trying to stifle my laugh. I didn't know what had brought it on as the situation was in no way funny but it caused Sobel to stalk off away from us and Dick to look at me, his eyes brimming with concern.

He crouched at my feet now, trying to study my face as best he could in the dark.  
"What happened?" he asked, bringing a tender hand to my face. I winced as he did so, flinching back slightly.  
"Sobel smacked me." I whispered, seeing Dick's eyes widen slightly. I tried to put him at rest by adding, "I'm pretty sure that it was an accident."  
Dick removed his hand now and his eyebrows furrowed together tightly. "You're bleeding." He announced.  
"I'll be fine. I'll make it back to camp." I nodded, trying to convince myself rather than Dick. Sure, the pain wasn't too bad and I knew that in war I'd probably feel worse pain but my main concern was the fact that I'd hit my head. The world seemed shaky and somewhat distorted in front of me.  
"Are you sure?" Dick asked, looking at me. I nodded, gripping my rifle firmly in my hand. With one hand I gripped the rifle while with the other I supported myself against the tree to try and regain my balance. I made it onto shaky feet while Dick seemed to prepare himself to catch me.  
"You good?" He asked as I peered at him from beneath my helmet. I nodded, the words seeming to take a minute to form. "I'm good."  
A gentle hand was placed on my back as he gently pushed me in the direction I'd come from. I didn't quite manage to walk as gracefully or stealthily as I had when I'd had to confront Sobel. Now the leaves crunched beneath my feet, causing me to jump with every step. My walk was clumsily and I flopped down into my old position, no longer possessing the energy to guide myself down.

"What went off back there?" Bill asked, nodding his head over in the direction Sobel had been in.  
"It's sorted." I mumbled, training my rifle out and resting my head on it. "Just leave it."  
Bill's eyes stayed on me for a moment and he was trying to determine whether something was wrong. As I was on his right, he couldn't exactly see the damage Sobel had caused me. He chose to drop it, plunging us back into silence.  
We laid in silence and the battle for sleep became harder for me. My head was now filled with unbearable banging as blood crusted on my face. My eyes were heavy and I didn't know how much longer I could hold out.  
When the enemy did eventually come past, I was off guard and more or less asleep. The bright flash of the rifles indicated their arrival as we fired blanks. My head was spinning as I did so and it was a relief when it was finally all over. The order came to head back to camp and in a matter of minutes, we were all following Sobel towards our beds.

As we walked, the path seemed to move around me, making it impossible for me to walk in a straight line. My arms were shaking as I held the rifle and I jumped as I felt a hand rest upon my lower back.  
"You okay, Malone?" Bill asked, his arm steadying me slightly. "You're wobbling all over the place."  
I licked my lips lightly, nodding at Bill. "I'm good Bill. I can make it."  
"Sure as hell don't look like it." Bill grumbled from beside me. "What happened when you went to Sobel, huh?"  
"I hit my head." I told him gently, "That's all."  
"Sobel hit you?" Bill asked, jumping straight to confusions. I shook my head, causing me to wince slightly.  
"It was an accident. Could have happened to anybody." I told him, briefly glancing up at him.  
"Jesus, what happened to your face?" Bill gasped, finally being able to see everything. He peered forwards, trying to get a good look. I opened my mouth to speak but as I did so, I lost my footing, causing me to slip into Bill and drag him to the floor with me. My head hit a branch beneath me and I groaned on the floor, bringing my arms up and wrapping them around my head.  
I laid in the darkness, not daring to move from my position. The pain in my head was overwhelming, causing my eyes to scrunch closed.  
"Jeez, you need to be more careful." Bill moaned, shaking my shoulders slightly, "Come on Viv, you need to keep moving."

I felt shadows looming over me and I'd figured that some of Easy must have stopped to see what was going on. I tried to control my breathing which was now ragged as Bill sat beside me, trying to encourage me to get up. Tears stung my eyes now and I struggled to hold them back.  
"What's going on?" I heard Dick ask. his voice sounded so distant but he must of only been a few paces away.  
"I'm not sure, Sir." Guarnere informed him as a soft hand placed itself on my waist. "The Lieutenant here just seemed rather unsteady and then she just went down and won't get back up."  
I heard Winters sigh before I felt his large hand on my ankle. "Vivian, can you get up for me?" He asked gently, shaking my leg slightly. I tried to form words but they just seemed to get stuck in my throat, not being able to roll of my tongue. For a moment, it was like I had forgotten everything. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. All I could feel was an unbearable throbbing in my head.  
"She must have hit her head harder than we thought." Dick sighed, retracting his hand as he crouched at my feet.  
"Guarnere, Malarkey," He ordered the two men as I laid motionless on the ground, "Help her sit up and somebody pass the word for Roe!"  
Malarkey and Guarnere did as they were instructed, gently helping me to sit up against yet another tree. My tired blue eyes stared up at them all now as I felt somewhat sorry for myself. As my head lent against the tree, the urge to sleep had overtaken me.  
"Come on Vivian, stay with us." Dick urged, his eyes glancing between me and the darkness.  
"I'm fine." I finally managed to groggily mumble, "I can make it back."

"Sir!?" Eugene Roe's voice called out to us. Winters waved his arm, signalling for the now trained medic to come over. He masked a grimace as his eyes set on me. He pulled a light out, shining it on me. I feebly shielded my eyes as it stung and destroyed my night vision.  
"What happened to you?" Roe asked gently as he hovered above me, carefully examining my face. It was tender to his touch and I just focused on his soothing accent as he spoke. He removed my helmet, gently placing it on the ground beside me. "How'd this happen?"  
"It was an accident." I mumbled as he stood over me, waiting for my story. "I was smacked in the face with a rifle."  
"It's sure as hell going to be sore tomorrow." He told me, beginning to move the light from side to side and instructing me to follow it with my eyes. I was sluggish, unable to properly keep up. "Looks like you hit your head."  
"I'd say getting hit with a rifle in the face counts as that, eh Doc?" Guarnere quipped as the Doc stared down at me.  
"I guess so." He mumbled, standing up straight. "I suggest we get her back to camp ad into the Med Bay as quick as possible. You alright with that?"  
I managed to nod, struggling slightly to get to my feet.  
"It's okay, I've got you." Roe assured me as he slung one of my arms over his shoulder. "Guarnere on the count of three, we get her up...one...two...three."

Within a second I was up on my feet and Malarkey had placed my helmet back on my head. My legs trembled beneath me as I was set 0n my own feet and they felt as though they could give way at any second.  
"I'll take that." Winters said, causing me to turn around. He'd taken my rifle from Don, giving me one less thing to carry. Guarnere and Roe's arms wrapped around my waist, firmly supporting me between the pair of them. As I was mainly carried between the pair of them, my mind began to wander as we grew closer to camp. I hoped that news of this injury would not bring an end to my career in the army. Today and every other day had all looked so promising up until this point. I'd evaded any major injuries and now as I'd suffered one while still in training, I feared that I'd be seen as a disgrace and not good enough. Sobel, despite causing the blow himself, would more than likely try and use this against me.  
As we reached camp, Roe and Guarnere guided me to the Med bay; I couldn't help but mutter a thousand apologies. I didn't want them getting into trouble with Sobel because of me. I was supposed to be looking after them, not the other way around. I was placed on a bed and Roe dismissed Guarnere, telling him to hurry back to Easy Company to inform Sobel of what was going on and to apologise for any inconvenience we may have caused. I'd certainly not expected my day to end like this.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Once again, just a quick thank you for the reviews.**

 **I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.**

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I woke up the next morning on a bed in the med bay, not completely sure of what had occurred the night. The throbbing in my head reminded me that I had been hit by a rifle in the face and carried into the med bay but I remembered nothing after that point. I sat up in the bed, my head still painfully pounding. A hand clutched my stomach as a wave of nausea washed over me, causing me to lay back down in the bed. I screwed my eyes closed tightly, waiting for it to wash over me. After a moment, it was safe again to sit up and I moved to do so but a voice caught me off guard.  
"Vivian, be careful."  
The tone of voice was sharp and my eyes instantly darted over in that direction. Katherine was quickly striding over to me and I aimed to give her a smile but it quickly turned into a grimace as I winced in pain. I laid back down again, waiting for her to come and hover by my bedside.

"How are you feeling today?" Katherine Beckett asked me, her sharp brown eyes fixing upon me.  
"I'd feel better if I could sit up." I grumbled as I stared up at her. She rolled her eyes at me; a small smile appearing on her face. She helped me sit up before gently propping the pillows behind me for support. I thanked her as she did so, feeling more comfortable in an upright position.  
"Better?" She asked, raising one eyebrow.  
"Better." I whispered as she sat herself on a chair that lay idle beside my bed. She tightly clasped her hands in her lap, silently staring at me as though she was expecting me to say something. For a moment I stayed silent, unsure of what to actually say but then something floated into my head. What had Sobel actually done to my face? The pain told me that it was at least bruised and I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't a mess. In my opinion, I wasn't the most prettiest of girls- as I was unfortunate enough to not inherit my mothers exquisite beauty- and I didn't want to have my face permanently scarred by Herbert Sobel to make it even worse. I'd felt blood last night and I hadn't been conscious long enough to find the source of the wound.

"How bad is it?" I asked Katherine, my voice barely coming out as more than a whisper.  
"I can get you a mirror if you like." Katherine offered, seeming to offer me a sympathetic smile. "Then you can see for yourself."  
I gulped and nodded, feeling my throat constrict slightly. I watched morbidly as Katherine glided across the room and over to a set of draws. She seemed to rummage through, my blue eyes not leaving her once. She rummaged through the draws, seeming to take a moment to find the mirror that she was looking for. She plucked several medical items from the draw, laying them out on the draws in front of her before she finally found the compact mirror. She placed her supplies back in the draw before walking over and rejoining me at my bedside. She hovered over me, her thumb braced and prepared to open the mirror.  
"Are you ready?" She asked m softly, her eyes seeming to search my face. Anxious eyes stared back at her as I now waited for the mirror to open.

As it opened, my hands reached up, angling the mirror at myself. Almost instantly, my eyes flickered away. I slammed the mirror shut as I was disgusted by what I saw. Around my right eye was heavily bruised, accompanied by the eye itself being bloodshot. A long bruise seemed to run from my chin to my forehead, already varying in colour. My lip was slightly swollen and my cheek was cut. To put it bluntly, Sobel had messed the right hand side of my face up pretty badly.  
I felt tears prick my eyes but I held them back, refusing to let Katherine see me break down.  
"It's not as bad as it looks." Katherine told me gently, placing the mirror behind her back and one hand gently upon my shoulder.  
"It couldn't really be any worse." I murmured, leaning back into my pillow and gently closing my eyes. I tried to focus on steadying my wavering breaths and holding back the tears.  
"Vivian, it will get better. You'll be looking beautiful again in no time." Katherine cooed as a lone tear slid down my cheek.

I seemed to smile slightly at her words, wiping the tear gently away with the back of my hand. I couldn't help but laugh. It was alright coming from Katherine but she was beautiful. She had no need to get herself down in the dumps like I would. She was ravishing while I was merely rather plain.  
Despite my own personal feelings towards the issue, I just nodded, offering her a small smile which she instantly returned. The look in her eyes was nothing more than sympathy, making me feel no better.  
"You had some guests requesting you earlier." Katherine said gently after a pregnant silence filled the room. "I could go fetch them if you like."  
For a minute I contemplated her offer. I suppose, depending who it was, it would be good to see them but after a moment, my self confidence, or lack of, began to chew away at me. Surely nobody would want to see my face like this. I knew that I certainly didn't want them to see until they had to.  
"Thanks for the offer." I said softly, my eyes wandering up to meet hers. "But I'll pass."  
"Come on Viv." She smiled, trying to push me in the right direction. "It will be good for them to see you. They all seemed really concerned."

I sighed, knowing that they'd probably pop back later anyway. I thought about it for a moment though. Who would really come and see me?  
"And who was it?" I asked gently, my voice slightly cracking as I gripped onto my own hands tightly.  
"There were a few people actually. Some officers came in earlier. Speirs was one of them but I can only guess that the others were from your company."  
"One with brown hair, one with red?" I asked hopefully, wondering if it was Lew and Dick. She nodded, a small smile appearing on her face.  
"The others were two Private's. I think one of them had the surname Muck. They came in not long before you woke up" She said, her eyebrows creasing in concentration as she tried to recall the details. Despite my upset, I couldn't help but let a small smile grace my face. At least my friends truly cared about me.  
"Do you reckon they'll come back?" I asked in a small voice, internally unsure of the answer that I actually wanted to receive.  
"I'm sure they'll come visit you after dinner." Katherine told me gently, placing a hand over my own. "But for now I suggest you go and take a shower. You don't half stink and no training now until after the weekend!."

"Thanks for the compliment." I murmured, shaking my head at her. She gently squeezed my hand before smiling down at me.  
"You're quite welcome." She smirked, standing up herself as I sat up. I placed my hands on the mattress, attempting to steady myself. My head was a little light but I supposed that it was something I could cope with easy enough. After all, the dull, aching pain in my face was a lot more distracting. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, only now noticing that my boots were missing as my feet dangled in the air.  
"Beckett, boots?" I asked, swinging my legs as I did so.  
"Right here." She announced, producing them from the side of the ed. I sat there like a child, watching as my friend slipped them onto my feet and proceeded to lace them up. When she was done she sat in the chair, staring inventively up at me.  
"You're good to go." She announced, her brown eyes setting themselves on my blue orbs. "I should hope that I don't have to see you in here again anytime soon, Malone. Take care of yourself and just take it easy this weekend."  
"Of course, Doc." I smirked, finally setting my feet on the ground. For a moment, my legs felt shaky and I was unsure whether they would hold my weight but after a few seconds I was stable and upright. I strode towards the doors, only throwing a glance in Katherine's direction when I was through the doorway.

Once I was outside and the Georgian sun beat down upon me, I let out a long shaky sigh. I was a mess. I was more so physically but mentally I was slipping into it too. I was clutching on by threads. I lent against the wall, trying to collect my thoughts. Why had I ever thought this was a good idea? This was a man's world that I'd thrown myself into without even a second thought. Looking back, I couldn't help but wonder why I thought I could succeed. No matter what they were always going to be physically stronger than I was. They'd always have the upper hand in any situation merely because of their gender and they wouldn't be scrutinized because of it. I felt like my sanity was slowly beginning to ebb away and I hated to admit it but Sobel was beginning to wear me down. I wasn't about to admit it to his face and I certainly wasn't going to bow down to him but in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder whether he was right. Perhaps I wasn't fit for war. I mean I'd just suffered unintentional injury at the hands of Sobel and I knew that whatever the Krauts threw at me would be a million times worse. How could I possibly expect to make it through an entire war when I was only just scraping it through Toccoa. Sure my time here was nearly up but I still had a long way to go to prove that I belonged in the Airborne. Most Officers had already gained their jump wings but I was to be one of the last, now fulfilling my jumps with the men due to prevailing circumstances. All of it just made me feel like the senior officers weren't taking me seriously and if they wouldn't, why should the men that would have to fight beside me? I was a woman fighting to fit into a mans world. Despite all my success and break-throughs, I couldn't help but get bogged down with all the hurdles that still loomed over me.

I tried to snap myself out of my destructive train of thoughts. I couldn't think like that. If camp was to break me I'd never make it through the war. I had to put yesterdays actions down to it being a bad day. After all, I'd survived the rest of Toccoa unscathed. I was tired and just letting my mind run away with itself. If I just kept a lid on it all, I'd be absolutely fine.  
I nervously ran a hand over my hair, hoping that the simple action would help relax me, even if it was just a little. The fact that my hand was met with wild, untamed locks actually did nothing towards doing so- making the action futile in the end. Instead, I merely decided that I would go and take that shower in the hope that it would also wash away my doubts with the grime.  
As I began to walk, I clung to the edges of building, moving more like a thief than a soldier. I didn't want anybody to see me, especially in my state. I slunk in the shadows, trying my hardest to move undetected. I didn't know the exact time- all I had to go on was that it was between lunch and dinner. My watch had been removed from my wrist and I could only hope that it was in the safe possession of Dick or Lew. I had no idea whether men were on a break or in some variation of lessons, and I silently prayed that it was the latter.

After what felt like forever, I made it safely back to my barracks. I pushed the door open quickly, sliding inside as soon as the door was opened wide enough for me to slip through. My heart sank as I spotted the back of a ginger head facing me. I forced myself forward, intending to walk straight past Dick. Perhaps if I was confident, he wouldn't even notice my face. As I grew closer, I could also hear Lew's voice. Damn, he must have been stood behind him, concealed by his figure. I walked straight past him, not seeming to draw any attention to myself. As I opened my locker, silence fell over the room, only to be broken moments later by Lew.  
"Vivian..." He began, letting his voice trail off for a moment. "Why are you hiding from us?"  
"I'm not hiding." I stated, trying to air confidence in my voice. "I'm just grabbing some clean clothes."  
I heard footsteps behind me, drawing closer. My body tensed and I lowered my face in shame. He was right really, I was trying to hide.  
"If that's the case." Lew said firmly, stopping less than a metre behind me. "Do I not even get a hello?"  
At this point, I couldn't even muster a response. He'd instantly sensed what I was doing and confronted me about me. After all this time, Lewis Nixon knew me well enough to see through my lies and through to my true intentions.

After a moment, I heard a soft sigh. A large paw placed itself on my shoulder and I let them slump. I felt horrendous but inside I knew that I couldn't just ignore everybody for the next two weeks. There was no way that I could hide the entire time that it was to heal.  
"Come on, Viv." He said gently, his voice supportive and caring. "Just look at me. I'm sure it can't be that bad."  
He squeezed my shoulder when I didn't respond, taking a step closer to me. "It's only me and Dick. You know we won't say anything."  
I let out a small sigh as Lew gently used his hands to turn me around. I stared at the floor now in a futile attempt to postpone Lew in seeing my damaged face. I didn't want to look at myself so why should he.  
Two fingers gently moved beneath my chin, forcing me to look at him. Tears rimmed my eyes as I watched my friend carefully examine my face, his face contorting with sympathy.  
"It's really not that bad." Lew tried to convince me. "You're still our princess."  
As the tears threatened to spill, my arms reached out and wrapped around Lew. He held me tightly, one hand knotting in my wild hair as my left cheek pressed against his chest. His other arm wrapped around my waist, holding me close to him as he shushed me. I quickly tried to prevent the tears, feeling like more of a fool for completely breaking down on Lew.

"I'm okay." I whispered, unsure on whether I was trying to convince Lew or myself. "I'm fine."  
"There's nothing to be upset about." Lew smiled gently at me, taking a step back as I sniffled and wiped my eyes. His eyes sowed genuine concern but I couldn't help but wonder whether he'd grow tired of me. I knew that he wouldn't want me moping about and crying, especially before we'd even left for war. Why would he even stick around if Toccoa was breaking me?  
"I need to go take a shower..." I mumbled, my voice soft as I used it as an excuse to dismiss myself. I quickly turned my back, gathering everything that I would need. I could still feel Lew's presence behind me but I chose to ignore it, scurrying around him quickly. I gathered everything in my arms, struggling to hold it all in my small arms. Everything was stacked up and I was struggling to carry it but I was determined to escape to the shower. I'd be okay after ten minutes on my own. I just needed a little time to straighten my head out.  
Lew stayed silent now, both his and Dick's eyes watching me carefully as I blindly ignored the pair. To my despair, I couldn't open the doors with my full hands, meaning I was trapped in here. I let out a sigh, attempting to balance everything in one arm. Instead, as my hand wrapped around the door handle, the pile toppled to the floor, causing me to let out a shriek of dismay.

I crouched down, scrambling to collect all of my belongings that had spread themselves out across the floor as they pleased. No matter how hard I tried, I just struggled to gather them. Perhaps it was down to my swimming head or maybe my faltering mood but whatever it was, it was preventing me from picking everything up.  
"It's okay." A soft voice said as they crouched beside me. "I've got this."  
"No, Dick." I said, my voice coming out a bit too harshly. "I've got it under control."  
"Vivian." Dick said, his voice simultaneously soft yet stern. "Just relax. There's no need to get yourself worked up."  
I sighed, standing up now and watching as Dick quickly and carefully helped me pick up my belongings. I ran a hand roughly over my hair. I bit down on the bottom of my lip, looking for a less vocal way to voice my emotions.  
"Just go take a shower. You'll feel better after." Dick told me with a small smile, placing my belongings back in my hand.  
"Thanks." I merely managed to whisper out, no longer possessing the energy to do anything else. I just felt exhausted. The best idea right now was shower and bed- who cares about dinner anyway?  
Dick gave me a small nod, opening the barracks door for me. He placed a hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the doorway. I sluggishly left the barracks, wondering how on earth the pair inside coped with me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note:** **I would just like to thank you all for reading my story and those who have favorited, followed and reviewed my story. Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions you may have as I look forward to reading them. I'd also like to apologise for the fact that there has been such a long wait between updates. I fully intend to finish this story but everything just got a bit stressful juggling exams and work. The aim is to try and publish a new chapter every two weeks at the least.**

 **I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.**

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The rain beat harshly down upon us, jeering and mocking as we marched. Puddles bit at our legs as our boots fought to gain a grip on the muddy ground. The chests of all the soldiers rose and fell rhythmically as we focused on making it to our next checkpoint. I looked at all the men around me, feeling somewhat lost once again.  
Dog, Easy, Fox and even the HQ companies marched along beside me as we all strived to meet our goal. We were making good progress on our 72 hour march to Atlanta and soon we'd be entitled to a break.

Despite managing to keep pace with the men besides me, I wondered whether it was a good idea for me to still be here. Of course I loved aspects of this way of life but I wondered how I'd cope in war. There wouldn't be timed intervals for us to sit and rest, the marches wouldn't be peaceful and care free and we all wouldn't reach our final destination. My lungs were burning and I wondered how much longer my body could hold out. This was only our first day and it was an effort to put one foot in front of another as I was weighed down by all the kit on my back. Some of the men were struggling with the burden of the extra weight and I was half their size. My mind wandered, hoping that all of my girls were coping. They'd all made it this far and I could only hope that the strain wouldn't be too much for them. All I had to do was keep the end in sight, take it one step at a time and just keep going. Each step was one step closer to Atlanta. All I had to do was survive a few more days and then I'd be granted a well earned rest.

"So, Vivian, you got yourself a man back home?" Don smiled, nudging me playfully in the ribs. At his light touch I almost stumbled beneath the weight of my equipment. I managed to regain my balance quickly. The last thing I needed right now was to fall and sprain my ankle.  
"A beautiful broad such as yourself must have men queuing round the block." Skip chimed in, a lopsided smile emerging on his face. I shook my head at Muck, my eyebrows creasing together at his comment. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the pair of them.  
"Why are you both so persistent about my home life?" I asked my two friends seriously. They both shrugged seriously before a smile split simultaneously across their faces. They were always pushing and they'd certainly taken the opportunity of me being stuck by them for the next few days to try and pry an answer from me. No matter what I refused to tell them of my home life.  
"We just want to get to know you better. "Malarkey cut in. I smiled slightly. Since he was the first man in Easy Company to accept me, I'd grown to know of his home life. The tales of home would often raise their spirits and I didn't want to dampen the mood with a mention of what my home had been like.

"And you know all about Faye." Skip told me seriously.  
"But you want us all to know about sweet Faye Tanner." I smiled slightly at Skip. At the mention of his sweetheart his smile only grew. You could never shut Skip up about Faye. He'd often ramble to me for what seemed like hours about how he thought Faye and I would be great friends. He'd even made me promise to meet her once all this was over. It was clear Skip loved the girl and I was glad that he had somebody back home waiting for him.  
"Surely you have somebody though." Don pressed, not willing to let the matter drop. This was going to be one long walk.  
"Well I don't." I told the pair of them, forcefully meeting their eyes. "You two happy now?"  
"Do you really expect us to believe that?" Malarkey asked with a raised eyebrow. I imitated his expression, not willing to let the conversation continue any longer.  
"Believe what you like Malarkey but my answer isn't changing any time soon. Not until this wars over, anyway."

The rest of the day was long and hard. We were battling with the mud constantly to try and avoid slipping over. Once you were down it was certainly hard to get up with the weight of your kit pressing you into the earth. With each passing second I felt sorry for the men who had to carry more than me. By the time we stopped at 11 that night, our shoulders deeply ached from the weight we'd had to bare. I was slightly surprised that we were all still on our feet from the injuries that the mud had gifted some of us. To match my bruised face, my knee now sported a fine cluster of bruises due to my fall. Each step had grown painful and I only hoped that I could sleep the pain away. I was glad to hear that we'd covered fourty miles and that we were making good progress - it was the only thing keeping me going.

Once Major Strayer had picked us a campsite, I managed to find the other Officer's of Easy Company. They all looked as tired as I felt which brought a strange sense of relief to me as I realised that I wasn't lagging behind in strength. Lew and Dick greeted me with small smiles although they seemed rather strained. Today had been cold with the wind and snow and it had certainly taken it out on us all. As our campsite was on a hill with no natural windbreaks, we knew that it would only get colder although there was nothing we could do about it. Without complaining, we dumped our kit and got to work setting up our shelters for the evening. As we were doing so we were issued rations of bread smeared with jam and butter as we all failed to start our stoves in the harsh conditions. It didn't take us too long to set up as we all just wanted to sleep after our tiring day. I was about to relieve my aching feet from my boots when Strayer appeared in front of me. In my tired state I'd neither seen nor heard him coming.  
"Lieutenant Malone?" He asked gently in the dark.  
"Sir?" I asked, unsure as to why he was approaching me at this hour. I didn't want to stay up any longer. I'd set up my own shelter for the evening and lent a hand to many other men in my company. I was ready to just sleep.  
"There's spare room with the other females if you'd prefer to sleep with them."

I knew that his statement wasn't entirely true as sleeping arrangements had partially been made before we left camp but I wasn't going to argue with him. I knew that although he was stating a fact and presenting the opportunity to me, it was more of an order. He didn't want me sleeping so close to the male officers on his watch.  
"I'd like that, Sir." I acknowledged, pushing myself back onto my feet with a light grunt. I managed to haul my kit back onto my aching shoulders which felt like they were burning under the pressure. I grabbed my rifle too and slowly followed Strayer past a string of shelters to the other side of our make shift camp. When we eventually stopped, I knew I'd reached my destination. I managed to shrug my kit off my shoulders, once again feeling the relief it provided.  
"Sleep well, Lieutenant." Strayer nodded, dismissing himself.  
"You too, Sir." I nodded. I quickly popped my head into the shelter, seeing where there was room for me to lay down my bed. Once I'd quickly laid my things out I sat on my make shift bed and tugged off my boots. The cool air nipped at my aching feet , momentarily taking away the pain. In a matter of seconds I was inside my sleeping bag and fast asleep.

Morning soon rolled around and I felt no more refreshed than I had been hours before. The cold air brought out goosebumps on my skin, making me reluctant to crawl out of bed. The dim morning light shone in my eyes, causing me to close them once again. It wasn't bright but it took me a moment to adjust. I rolled over in my sleeping bag, realising that I'd ended up sharing a shelter with Florence.  
"Morning." I smiled slightly, my teeth chattering. At the sound of my voice she instantly rolled over, her face mirroring my smile.  
"Morning." She whispered, stray black locks tumbling into her face. I couldn't help but smile at my friend. Before I could say another word, a call came that breakfast was ready. I sighed, knowing that I'd have no choice but to leave my sleeping bag for the day. I reluctantly pulled myself out, the chattering of my teeth only worsening. I grabbed my boots and the texture of the usually rigid leather surprised me. Over night they'd frozen solid. I loosened the laces as I normally would to allow my feet to slip into the boots but they weren't having it. As I'd slept my feet had swelled considerably, meaning they wouldn't fit in my shoes. I loosened them as much as possible but still had no luck. In the end I was forced to remove the laces from my shoe in order to force my feet into the leather. With numb fingers I had to re-lace them and the simple task seemed to take me forever. When I could eventually stand, my sore feet protested. As I stood I realised how much my muscles ached from the night before and I could only hope that we covered a similar amount of miles today so our journey time could be as short as possible.

The second day of our march was pretty similar to the first. It was cold and we got through it by counting down the minutes until our next scheduled stop. It took miles for our aching muscles to warm up and although the breaks granted us with a brief relief, I worried that many of the men would not be able to get back up and keep working. Us officers did what we could to keep morale up but at times our efforts seemed futile. The long march just seemed to drag and we were all just looking forward to reaching our goal. We all just wanted our well entitled break that awaited us in Atlanta.  
It was almost a miracle when we made it into camp that night. We set up on the grounds of Oglethorpe University on the outskirts of Atlanta. It gave us a sense of hope that we were on the outskirts but we all knew of the grueling walk the following day would bring. We'd struggled through two days now and some of the men were in a sorry state. I myself was struggling now on stiff muscles and a knee that had seized up halfway through the day. We'd completed eighty miles but the remaining thirty eight seemed almost impossible. I could't help but wonder how the Japs had done it. My body was ready to give up at this point and I could only imagine the state I'd be in once it was all completed.

Once Florence and I had set up our shelter for the evening, she kindly offered to fetch me my rations. I'd tried to decline her offer but she'd insisted, refusing to let me move off my bed. I was internally grateful for her kindness though as I didn't think that I'd be able to move again for the rest of the evening. My right leg was stretched out as a dull, aching pain engulfed my knee. The pain almost brought tears to my eyes but I refused to let it phase me. As long as I could move in the morning I'd be able to make it.  
As I was granted a few moments alone, I couldn't help but let my eyes survey the men before me. Many were tired and worn. I could only hope that we'd all make it through the following day. However, my mind slipped into the topic of war. If the men were tired with low morale now, how were we ever going to make it on the front line. Here we had the promise of warm food and a bed waiting for us merely a day away. At war we wouldn't have such luxuries. We were scraping by now and I pondered over whether we'd be able to keep our cool in the face of the enemy.

My heart dropped though when my eyes set on Don Malarkey. He was struggling on his hands and knees to the chow line, unable to stand up. My heart went out to my friend and I managed to push myself back up onto stiff legs. With a slight limp and pain jolting up my leg with every step, I slowly made my way over to him.  
"Don." I called gently as I approached him. His head snapped up in my direction as his eyes set on my own. It was clear that he was in pain but wasn't about to give up. "Get back to your tent and I'll get it for you."  
Sympathetic eyes stared down at my friend as he tried to form a response.  
"Thank you." He whispered, giving me a small nod. He handed me his mess tin slowly. I offered him a small smile which he returned before slowly turning around to crawl back to his tent. I watched my friend for a moment before joining the chow line. Every now and then I'd glance back in his direction, set on making sure that he made it back to his tent. When I was nearly at the front of the line I gave him one last glance and noticed that Winters was crouched beside him. I knew instantly that Dick would be telling him to ride in the ambulance in the morning. I myself was going to tell him the same but only if he felt like he had to. Don had to have the choice to do what he thought was right but in his current condition it looked unlikely that he'd be able to continue in the morning whether he wanted to or not.

When I'd eventually collected Malark's dinner, I hobbled over to him. Winters had stopped speaking to him but was hovering nearby, watching the men around him. When I reached Don, I stood over him and handed his stew down to him. I would have bent down and given it to him but my knee's movement was very limited. I also feared that if I bent down I'd end up on the floor and not be able to move again. Had that happened, I wouldn't have even been able to crawl like Don.  
As I handed the stew over, Malarkey's face brightened up a little and he thanked me. I couldn't help but smile back at him as such a simple action had helped to raise his morale just a little.  
"I'll see you in the morning, Malark." I smiled down at him.  
"See you in the morning." He smiled, giving me a small wave. I couldn't help but smile as I turned my back on him and headed back towards my own tent. My stomach was growling at me but my brain was telling me to ignore it and just go to sleep instead.

I'd not strayed far from Malarkey's tent when a tall figure fell in step beside me. I looked up, my smile only broadening as I realised who it was.  
"Evening, Lieutenant." I smiled up at Dick. He smiled back at me but he almost seemed shocked by my surprisingly good mood. I myself wasn't sure what had come over me but I certainly didn't want it to fade away now.  
"How are you holding up?" Dick asked me, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. I looked up at him and my eyes studied his face for a moment.  
"I'll be alright." I smiled. "Bit sore and stiff but aren't we all? At least it'll be over this time tomorrow. How're you holding up?"  
"Same as you." Dick nodded, his lips tugging into a small smile. "I just hope that the men are up to it tomorrow."  
"They're a lot tougher than they look." I stated, raising one eyebrow. I was stating the truth and I knew the men would do it and live up to my expectations. When push came to shove they'd be carrying each other to the end if needs be.  
"I know. They have my faith." He assured me, his smile broadening slightly.

We continued making small talk until we eventually ended up outside my tent. Florence was sat inside and I could see her eyes spying on us.  
"Well this is me." I smiled up at Dick, nodding towards my tent.  
"Yeah, you should probably get some sleep. We've got a hard day ahead of us tomorrow." Dick told me as we turned to face one another. His green eyes met my blue orbs and I had to resist the urge to reach out and wrap my arms around him. It was highly inappropriate to do so in the first place and since joining Easy Company the only one I felt comfortable enough to touch was Lew.  
"Night, Dick." I smiled broadly up at him.  
"Night, Vivian. Sleep well." He smiled back down at me. With the smile still on my face I turned towards the tent. When I was almost there I turned back around, watching Winters walk away.  
"Vivian, come on." I heard Florence whine from inside the tent. "Your stews getting cold."

I slipped inside the tent and Florence held my mess tin in her hand while I tugged my boots off my swollen feet. The sweet relief engulfed me as my feet were allowed to breath. She handed me my stew back after a moment and set two expecting eyes upon me.  
"What?" I asked after I'd swallowed my first spoonful of stew. I couldn't take her gaze any longer.  
"So I see you've made friends with the officers of Easy Company." Florence purred from beside me. I turned to face her, raising an eyebrow at her words as I knew exactly what she was implying.  
"I also made friends with the officers of Dog Company so what's your point?" I asked her.  
"Well, Dick seemed nice." She smiled at me.  
"You said the same thing about Speirs when we first joined Dog." I snorted, shaking my head at Florence. "So that literally means nothing, Flo."  
"If you say so." She winked, causing me to laugh even more.

I was glad that I'd had the opportunity to at least speak with my friend. I wanted to ask her about life in Dog Company now that I was gone but I didn't want to dampen the mood. The evening had raised my morale considerably and I didn't want to let it go.  
Once I'd finished my evening meal I cleaned out my mess tin with water from my canteen a few feet away from the tent before ensuring all my gear was packed away again, ready to embark on the final stretch of our march in the morning. I eventually crawled into bed, my aching body ready to meet the bliss that sleep brought with it.

The third and final day was certainly the hardest. Our bodies protested against the weight of the kit we were carrying and many men were barely on their feet. Malarkey had decided that he could in fact continue and make it to Five Points in downtown Atlanta. With each step we were closer to our goal and although we were tired, the prospect of it all ending spurred us on. The first eighteen miles were as painful as the first two as we marched over side roads and rural areas but the last twenty or so miles were atrocious. The soft ground had at least been gentle on our feet but the cement of the highway nearly killed us. Many a man was clutching onto the comrade beside him as it was like walking across hot pokers. Beside me it was clear that Malarkey was in terrible pain so I shared his weight with Muck, helping to carry him along. Myself and the Officers began to whisper sweet words of encouragement to the soldiers which made more of an impact than it had on the previous two days. We were so close to completing our journey and proving that we were so much better than the Japs. We panted along, willing our bodies to place one foot in front of another again and again.

It wasn't until we heard a band that we were provided with a new breath of life. Even Malark who was in terrible pain straightened up at the sound of the band that played - indicating that we were so close to our final destination. The band played for the last mile, encouraging us all to dig deep and fight the pain. Every man and woman in the battalion straightened themselves up as pride welled up in their chests. The crowds waved, gathering excitedly to watch as we proved that we were better than the Japs. Everybody walked a little taller, taking in the cheers of the crowd and letting it wash over us in a sweet euphoria. The pain disappeared a little more with each step until it was almost like we'd just started once again. As the pride coursed through our veins, it drowned out the pain to the point where we were marching as if we were passing in review at Toccoa.  
In the end, we'd covered 118 miles in 75 hours, shattering the record set by the Japs. We had proved that the Yanks were the best and that we were coming to win the war whether the Japs and Krauts were ready or not.


	7. Chapter 7

**I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.**

* * *

Over the last three weeks, Fort Benning had been like Purgatory to us. The camp itself was worse than Toccoa - with little wooden huts set on barren, sandy soil. Despite this, it simultaneously brought a sense of relief as we were finally getting practical training compared to all the physical that we'd done so far. At last we were being prepared for our roles in the war.

Reaching the end of the third week, all we had was one last jump which would take place tomorrow, December 26th. So far we'd made it through, only a few members dropping out due to their refusal to jump - although they had been drummed out in disgrace. Our training here was supposed to be for weeks with stages A,B,C and D all taking up a week each. However, with 1st Battalion arriving before us, our reputation had been set. It had been said that we put the training staff and sergeants to shame with our physical ability. First Battalion had apparently ran circles around them - taunting the staff with every step. After hours of exercise which would have the training staff panting, first battalion would ask when the warm up would end. As a result of this, we started directly on stage B so not to embarrass them further. In the end, being stuck with Sobel had paid off in a way.

For the first week we were leaning how to fold and pack our parachutes. We'd double time to the sheds in the morning and to the cook house at meal times. We'd spend the afternoons jumping into piles of sawdust from mock fuselages raised four feet from the ground and practice controlling our parachutes from suspended harnesses or jumping from thirty foot towers in parachute harnesses suspended from a steel cable. Each day we all grew a little bit better, slowly allowing us to transform into paratroopers.  
In the second week, we moved on to making controlled jumps from two-hundred and fifty foot towers. Four of the towers had chutes that released the chutes when we reached the suspension arm but one tower had seats, shock absorbers and even chute guide wires - mimicking the C-47 that we'd soon be jumping out of. It reminded me of when we'd practice at Toccoa, learning exactly how to land so not to break any limbs. All of our training was now pulling together and all the knowledge we'd acquired slotted neatly into place. During this week, a wind machine was used to help us practice how to control and collapse our canopies after landing. It was also sometimes used on jumps, helping simulate the possible conditions that we could be faced with. With each passing day I grew more confident in myself again - starting to believe that I was just as capable as the men beside me.

After that, it was the final phase of training before we were given our wings. Our Wings were so close to becoming ours and we'd all strived to meet this point from the moment we set foot on Camp Toccoa. It almost seemed surreal that after a hard six months we'd have made it.  
The night before our first jump we'd gone well into the night both packing and unpacking our main chute and the reserve. We'd been up early in the morning and marched down to the hangars. We had all been bustling with excitement and nerves as all of our training came down to this one moment. As we waited, a nervous hum filled the space around us. There was nervous laughter, jokes, bold tales been told and many a trip to the latrine as we all continued to nervously check our chutes frequently. On the first jump, I'd been on the last plane. As each plane boarded up, my nerves only grew. I'd preferred to have gone first and got it over with. The anticipation was killing me. If somebody had told me when I was a little girl that in my adult life I'd have been a soldier jumping out of planes, I certainly would have laughed at them. The whole situation was extraordinary and by merely jumping out of the plane, us females will have taken a huge leap forwards in proving that we belonged.  
Despite the nerves, the first jump had been exhilarating. A sense of nirvana washed over me when I first jumped and when my chute finally opened, it was a breathtaking view. I'd drifted down towards the ground, taking in all the scenery below me. I could see for miles across open fields and even see cities peaking in the distance. I just wanted to do it again. With the first jump I just knew that I'd never grow tired of the feeling that came with jumping.

After our first jump, most of us couldn't wait to do it again. Our second jump came on the same afternoon - not giving us enough time to think about what we were doing as the adrenaline still lurked in our systems. The third jump was a mass affair, coming a mere few days later. Our fourth jump was yesterday on Christmas Eve. Jumping seemed to be a Christmas present for me as I'd never felt such a freedom in my life and I relished in the feeling. Excitement washed over us at the prospect of us making our final jump on Boxing Day and finally becoming Paratroopers.  
The only thing was, Christmas didn't exactly seem like Christmas. There was no snow, no tree, no presents and no family. It was clear that this was the first Christmas that many of the soldiers had spent away from home and I knew that as we approached our entry into the war, it wouldn't be the last. On the up side though, we had been given the day off. Many of us moved around the base in our dress uniform, happily enjoying the leisure time we were given. I myself had chosen to use the day to catch up with my girls. This was the first real opportunity that I'd had to talk to them since my transfer into Easy Company and in my heart I certainly missed them and the men. If we passed on camp the men would great me warmly but that was the extent of our conversation. My girls however were a different story. We were united by our common purpose of proving that women could make it in a man's world and we were determined to stay together - or most of us anyway.

I sat cross legged on the end of Dot's bed with her. Katherine, Florence and Henrietta were also with us - only Susan being absent. She'd declared that she wanted to spend time with the men more than us. I knew that unlike me she was a regular soldier so it was more acceptable for her to be closer to the men but my mind constantly worried about her fraternizing. As the other girls told me stories of what had occurred in Dog Company during my absence, I only grew more worried. By the sounds of things Sue was walking a very thin line and if she wasn't careful she'd end up being the first one of us to leave the Army. She wouldn't only disgrace herself but she'd also permanently mar our reputation and damage the idea that women could make it in a mans world. For all of our sakes I just hoped that Sue would be able to hold it together and make it through.  
I couldn't help but smile at the girl's stories though. It was clear how protective the men of Dog were of their ladies and it was good to hear. It also dawned on me how similar the situation was in Easy Company. As I grew more accepted, the men also grew more protective of me. I was their officer and they respected my orders but simultaneously they were ready to stand up for me should they need to. With the girls' words, their actions became clear. I'd seen it recently when a Sergeant from Benning had frowned at me, the men had returned his gaze. Their actions became clear and my heart swelled with pride and adoration for the men who had become my family in the last five months.

The conversation soon shifted from our Army life back to our home life. As the conversation shifted, I found myself speaking less and less. These girls had a happy home, many of them having sweethearts waiting for them. I think they all had a sweetheart except for me and they delighted in sharing stories of them with the rest of us. They reminded me of Skip speaking of sweet Faye Tanner and it brought a smile to my face knowing that all of my girls had something to keep fighting for. One thing that came to light during our conversation though was that Katherine Becket was in fact married. This revelation had got us all talking, eager to find out as much as we could.  
"I didn't know you were married!" Dot had exclaimed excitedly. The absence of a ring on Kat's finger had certainly thrown us off guessing. Kat smiled cheekily at us, pulling her dogtags out from beneath her shirt. Her ring hung next to the silver metal and we all smiled. By doing that she literally kept him close to her heart.  
"Yeah we got hitched just over a year ago now." She smiled, playing with her ring with her fingertips.  
"Who is he?" Florence asked eagerly as we all lent forward, eager on finding out as much as we possibly could. "What's he like? What does he do?"  
"He's called Thomas and he's in the Navy." She smiled proudly at us. "He's honestly a real sweetheart."  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Henrietta inquired, raising one eyebrow at Kat.  
"You never asked and I didn't think you all wanted me banging on about my husband." She snorted.

For a while the conversation flitted between the girls telling us stories of their beloved. Eventually though, as I had feared, the conversation turned to me.  
"Viv, do you have anybody waiting for you back home?"Kat asked me with a sweet smile. At her words I instantly clammed up. Home was certainly a topic that I did not like to breach. Normally I would go as far as to avoid it at all costs. My army days had been the best since I was young and with Sobel's constant bullying, that was saying something.  
"Viv's still looking for the right man." Florence cut in for me as I tightly clasped my hands in my lap. My blue eyes looked at her, silently thanking her for saving me.  
"There's quite a few catches in Easy Company, don't you think?" Henrietta winked at me. I nearly choked on my breath at her words. I wasn't expecting it from her - especially when she wasn't single.  
"Keep your eyes on your boyfriend." I laughed, easing up a bit as the conversation became less directed at my life.  
"I may be taken but that doesn't mean I can't look." She smirked, causing me to jokingly roll my eyes at her.  
"She's right y'know." Dot nodded, playfully nudging me in the ribs. "I'm sure by the end of the war you'll have found somebody."  
"That dark haired Lieutenant who came to see you in the Infirmary seemed nice." Katherine winked. At her words my cheeks were on fire. Instantly I knew who she was talking about.

"Lew's married!" I exclaimed, causing Kat to burst into a fit of giggles.  
"Okay." She laughed. "Maybe the other one or one of the privates that came to see you."  
"I'm not letting you shape my love life." I laughed. "You'd try and pair me with a married man."  
"How was I supposed to know?" She gasped, placing a hand over her heart as she feigned hurt. "Your lack of trust in me hurts."  
I was about to open my mouth to continue when there was a knock on the door.  
"I'll get it!" Florence announced, throwing her arm up in the air before scrambling off her bed. She walked over to the door and opened it a crack before peaking out to see who it was.  
"Who is it?" Dot asked as we all stared at the door.  
"Speirs." Flo hissed back before opening the door fully. "Afternoon, Sir. Can I help you?"  
"I just came to check that you girls knew that Dinner's been brought forward an hour." He smiled at her. I glanced down at my watch, realising that he meant that dinner was actually now ready.  
"Come on then, girls." I smiled, placing my headdress on my head and scooping Flo's up for her as I passed her bed. I handed it to her as I passed, earning myself a thank you. Speirs hovered by the door, falling in step with me as the girls went on ahead.

"So I see you've been using your free time to catch up with the girls." He observed. I nodded and smiled up at him.  
"I'm glad to hear that you've all been taking care of them." I beamed. He nodded.  
"So how's Easy Company treating you?" He asked as we walked to the mess hall slowly. He clasped his hands behind his back as dark eyes stared down at me.  
"They're great." I smiled up at him. "I miss you guys but they're treating me just fine."  
"That's good to hear." He told me, the corner of his lips tugging up slightly into the smallest of smiles. I was about to ask Speirs how he was doing but I heard approaching footsteps. More people were gathering around now as we grew closer to the mess hall but these feet were running slightly as if they were trying to catch up. I turned around, being met by yet another tall, dark haired figure.  
"Hey, Princess." Lew smiled, causing me to groan slightly.  
"Afternoon, Lew." I greeted him, raising one eyebrow at him.  
"I'll leave you guys to it. It's been nice speaking to you again, Vivian." Speirs nodded before leaving Lew and I to walk together.

"So where've you been all day?" He inquired, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I raised one eyebrow at his actions but decided not to question him. "Dick and I were wondering."  
"I told you this morning that I was going to see my girls." I stated, looking up at him.  
"But you said you'd only be a few hours."  
I shrugged at his words. "Well there was a lot to talk about."  
I decided to shift the topic away from myself so after a slight silence I asked Lew a question. "So you enjoying your Christmas?"  
"I'm kind of missing my kids." He told me, offering me a small smile. "and the dog."  
I laughed as he added the last bit. "And your wife?"  
"I miss her too but y'know. If I could see anybody it would be the kids."  
"That's sweet, Lew." I smiled up at him. He smiled back down at me. I lent my head on his shoulder, enjoying our slightly peaceful walk. Truth be told this was the best Christmas I'd had since being a kid. I was surrounded by friends and my Uncle was somewhere near by.

Over dinner I sat sandwiched between Lew and Dick. A hearty atmosphere had filled the room as many of the men talked happily about how tomorrow we'd receive our wings. It felt more like we were celebrating getting our jump wings than Christmas but either way I didn't exactly mind. In a way though, tomorrow would symbolise our transition from civilians to paratroopers and that was definitely worth celebrating. We'd survived Sobel and we were one step closer to fighting for our country.  
After dinner I found myself being summoned by my Uncle. I tried to come up with some sort of an excuse to excuse myself from Lew and Dick. I loved them to bits but they did not yet know that the Colonel was in fact my Uncle. Nobody really knew and I didn't want them to find out as I feared that they wouldn't look at me in the same way. My rank, my transfer to Easy Company - many people may argue that this was down to my Uncle although it wasn't necessarily the case. If anything he'd tried to dissuade me from joining in the beginning.

With a suitable excuse I managed to justify my absence after dinner. I walked through camp to my Uncle's office, barely passing a soul. Camp was quite as the men continued to enjoy their day off. I also knew that they'd be somewhat mentally preparing themselves for tomorrow as it was a big day for all of us. As I walked, the cold air nipped at my skin. It was certainly cold despite the absence of snow.  
When I eventually arrived at my Uncle's office, I knocked confidently upon the door. I couldn't help but smile slightly as I remembered how nervous I'd been the day he summoned me to his office to announce my transfer. My confidence had certainly grown over the past few months. Rather than being called inside though, my Uncle opened the door for me. He stuck his head out of the door, peering around before engulfing me in his arms. His chin rested on my forehead as he held me tightly for a moment. He let go and I straightened up, glancing around. The corridors around us were empty which I was glad for. I certainly didn't need any gossip passing around camp.  
My Uncle let me inside his office, closing the door behind him. I stood still by the door, watching as he walked over to his desk to pour us both some whiskey. He raised a glass, holding it out to me. I slowly moved across the room before gingerly taking the glass from his grasp.

"So tomorrow you're a paratrooper." He spoke finally, a smile tugging at his lips. I nodded, my fingers flexing against the glass. I watched as he took a sip of the whisky, not being quite sure what to say. I rarely got to speak to my Uncle and I thought of him more as a commanding officer now - which was both good and bad in a way.  
"You've worked so hard for this." He continued after a moment. "I'm so proud of you, Vivian."  
"Thank you." I whispered, finally taking a sip from my own glass. The alcohol burnt my throat but I barely reacted. Over the years I'd grown accustomed to it's taste. My Uncle perched on his desk, his eyes smiling at me.  
"Your parents would have been proud of you y'know. It's amazing how far you've come."  
"I suppose they would have been." I sighed, looking down at the floor. The last thing I wanted reminding of on Christmas was my parents. We had great memories together but the bad ones were smothering. The pain engulfed my chest, suddenly making it hard to breathe.  
"Your mother would have wanted you to have this." My Uncle whispered, picking up something small from his desk. My eyes looked at him with curiosity, wondering what one earth my mother could have bestowed upon him that could have been concealed or so long.  
"I found it in your Aunt's draw but I thought you'd want it." He told me, handing over a small, silver brooch with a small, white pearl in the centre. I held it gently in my palm for a moment, knowing that it had been my mothers favorites. For years I'd wondered what had become of it. My Uncle took it from me once more before pinning onto the back blade of my tie. He smiled at me, pressing his lips softly to my temple.  
"Merry Christmas, Sweetheart."


	8. Chapter 8

**I do not own Band of Brothers. This story is based upon the mini-series; not the real men of Easy Company.**

* * *

December 26th was a proud day for me. I managed to complete the jump and after a large ceremony we were all officially paratroopers. I doubted that there would ever be a prouder moment in my life. Not only was I proud of myself but I was proud of all the men who had also made it through with me. Wings Day would be something in which we never forgot.

I'd never forget the wind blowing through my hair as I fell towards the earth The last jump was seared into my brain, mainly because it was the day that I proved I belonged. Unlike all the men who'd signed up, all of us ladies had passed. None of us had dropped out or been forced to quit. We'd proved that we were equally as strong and that we had the potential to make it.

That night was special to us all. It was the celebration of all our hard work and we had finally began to reap the rewards. To celebrate we were allowed to the local tavern where everybody seemed to be drinking. Everybody's spirits were high that night and a few of the men had even been promoted on recommendations made by both Winter and I. It was a good of an evening as any to celebrate and the atmosphere seemed to ward off the cold weather.

I was sat, beer in hand by newly promoted Sergeant Guarnere and the other men. It was a hearty atmosphere which everybody was invited to join. For tonight, there was nothing standing between Officers and enlisted men as we were all celebrating on even grounds. We were all just as proud of each other and glad that we had such a fine group of men to get through the war with.  
"One thousand! Two thousand! Three Thousand! Four thousand!" They chanted as Guarnere gulped down his beer to retrieve his jump wings that had been placed at the bottom. We all cheered as he smiled, revealing them between his teeth.

"Hi-ho Silver!" He shouted, mocking the absent Sobel. I shook my head at his mockery but I couldn't help but smile. I took a swig of my drink, finally finishing off the glass. I tapped Bill on the shoulder, letting him know that I was leaving, before I stood up. He gave me small nod before turning back around to the table and allowing me to climb out.

Chatter filled the room but as I passed I couldn't help but hear the words that were exchanged between Perconte and Martin.  
" lf you had style like me, somebody might mistake you for somebody." I heard Perconte say to Martin, placing his boot on the stool where Martin was tying his. I couldn't help but look at the pair, intrigued as to what was going on. Martin could be unpredictable at times but he was a loyal man and you could ask for little more.  
"You mean like your fucking sergeant?" He said seriously, pointing at his new stripes. For a moment the area around them quietened, watching what was occurring. For a moment, Martin's expression told us that he was being deadly serious.  
" l'm just kidding." Perconte squeaked at the sight of Martin's expression.

Martin held the serious face for a moment before his face softened he winked at Perconte. I let out a breath that I'd not even realised I was holding. For a second I'd half expected Martin to explode on Perconte.  
"Congratulations, Martin." I smiled, walking past Martin now that I was sure the danger had passed. I'd only hung around to ensure that Perconte could be dug out of any trouble, even if he had partially brought it upon himself.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked me, a smile on his face. I stopped, raising one eyebrow at the Sergeant before me as I stared down at him.  
"To get another drink." I smirked, showing him my empty glass.  
"Another? You've already drank loads." He laughed. raising an eyebrow. "I don't think I've ever met a woman who could drink as much as you without already being passed out.  
"Watch yourself Johnny, I could drink you under the table." I smirked.

"Is that a challenge?" He asked with a smug smile, standing up and straightening out his uniform. He looked me straight in the eyes and I gave him a small nod.  
"Those sound like fighting words to me." I winked, my smile growing. Johnny's smile mirrored my own for a second.  
"Oh you're on Lieutenant." He said, taking my arm and pulling me towards the bar. He instructed me to wait there as he went to push through the crowded bar to get me my first drink. I'd already drank a fair amount of alcohol but I was still confident in my unladylike ability. Normally it wouldn't be something that I was proud of but it certainly seemed to be helping me to integrate myself amidst the men.

"There you go, Lieutenant." Johnny smiled when he returned, handing me another glass. I thanked him as I took it. I was about to take my first sip when we were interrupted.  
"Ten-hut!" A voice called out, causing us all to instantly jump into the position of attention. Somehow, despite my sudden movements, I managed not to spill any alcohol on myself.  
"Well, at ease, paratroopers." My uncle's voice rang out. We all eased up and I allowed myself to take a sip of the beverage in my hand. "Good evening, Easy Company."

"Evening, sir!" We all chanted back.  
"Parachute lnfantry is a new concept in military history but the 506 will forge that new concept into victory." He told us. I couldn't see him from my position due to my lack of height but I knew he'd be smiling.  
"Yes, sir!" We all beamed, proud of the praise which we were receiving.  
" l want you to know l'm damn proud of every one of , you deserve this party." He said, his voice quieting for a moment, becoming inaudible to me from my position. A couple of seconds passed before he spoke again "So l want you to have fun, and remember our motto: -Currahee!"  
"Currahee! " We all cheered, raising our glasses as proud smiles etched upon our faces.

Nearly an hour later Martin and I were still at the bar. He was beginning to fatigue now, his words slurring together. I myself was now drunk but only to the point where I laughed like a maniac. The men had gathered around to see what was happening and were now egging us on. I downed my drink and waited for the struggling Martin. It was clear that he wasn't going to give up without a fight but it was clear I had this one in the bag.  
"Pour us another one, Luz." I laughed, extending my empty glass to the man behind the bar. He laughed, refilling both our drinks. I sipped it and half way through the pint, Martin began to wobble uncontrollably despite his grip on the bar. Arms extended to catch him but he simply set his drink down on the bar.  
"Yeah okay, you win." He laughed, staggering forwards and pulling me into a hug. I snorted slightly, freeing myself from his grip.  
"I knew I'd win." I laughed. "Don't bite off more than you can chew Johnny."

As the night drew to an end I was sat at the table, drinking with Malarkey and Guarnere. They seemed to watch in amasement as I continued to drink. The effects had started to catch up to me now so I slowed down, feeling more than a bit light headed. I'd not felt anything for a while but suddenly it was as though a weight had been dropped on top of me.  
"I can't believe someone of your stature drank Martin under the table." Guarnere smirked, "All the men here can handle their drink and here you are drinking more than the rest of us."  
"Hell you sure are something." Malarkey smiled at me. I laughed at their words, zoning out as they conversed between themselves. Many a man had retired to their barracks, eager for a good rest. We had a late start tomorrow so for once we had the opportunity to stay up late if we wished and still be allowed to have a decent amount of sleep.

"So, Malone." Bill smiled from opposite me. "You got any good stories about home?"  
I looked up at him, one eyebrow cocked. Being drunk, my mind didn't exactly filter the words which came out of it.  
"Which one are you talking about?" I slurred, my mind not eve associating the two places as being together anymore.  
"What do you mean?" Bill asked gently, leaning forwards slightly.  
"Before or after I lived with my bitch of an Aunt." I stated angrily, slamming my hand down on the table. They both jumped slightly at my sudden action. Both Bill and Don stared at me, seemingly unsure of what to say now.

As silence engulfed us, I went to take another drink.  
"I think you've had enough for tonight." Don said gently, placing his hand on my arm and lowering my drink back onto the table. I looked up at Don, my anger instantly melting away. It wasn't their fault for asking, neither were any of the events that occurred. They just knew nothing of my life before Easy Company and were just curious. Instead, guilt consumed me for my outburst.

"I'm sorry." I sighed after a moment casting my gaze down upon the table. "If you'll excuse me gentlemen, I best get to bed."  
I pushed myself to my feet, both of my men offering me a smile.  
"Night." They both chorused together. I looked at them for a moment before giving them a small nod and turning for the door. After only a mere few steps I stumbled, being saved from colliding with the ground by Malarkey.  
"Come on Bill, we best walk her back." He said, wrapping an arm around my waist. Bill nodded, walking over to me and mirroring Malarkey from the other side of me.

I looked between the men and pondered over why they'd chosen to befriend me. Was it because of my rank or did they genuinely care? Whenever I drank I always got myself into the same rut of over thinking but it was still a genuine question. Whether it was their choice or not, nobody in my life ever really seemed to stick around yet our bonds had only grown stronger with no signs of weakness as the months progressed.  
"Did I ever tell you guys how great you are?" I inquired, looking between Bill and Malark. A small smile tugged at their lips but they just shook their heads at me.

"Has anybody seen Lieutenant Malone?" A voice called out. My head instantly snapped around to see Winters stood in the doorway, scanning the nearly empty room.  
"Dick!" I exclaimed, breaking free from Malarkey and Guarnere. I was fairly stable but when I nearly reached him I stumbled and tripped again. His arms anchored themselves around my waist, hauling me back to my feet. I found myself stood in close proximity to him, his eyes staring into my own. I didn't seem capable of moving as my hands rested on his abdomen.

He didn't move either, he just stared intently down at me for a moment, his eyes seeming to search my own. My neck was craned as we stared at each other. When he came to his senses he stepped back, keeping his hands on my shoulders. to prevent me from falling once more  
"Thanks." I blushed under his gaze before laughing softly to myself again.  
"Would you like us to escort her back to your barracks, Sir?" Guarnere asked as him and Malarkey materialised beside me. I smiled at their polite offer.  
"No it's okay, I need to speak to Lieutenant Malone." He told them. They nodded and dismissed themselves, turning around and wiggling their eyebrows behind Winters' back causing me to giggle softly to myself.

Winters took my arm in his, making sure I didn't fall over again. As we walked, he stared down at me kindly, seeming to try and figure me out like I was a puzzle to him.  
"What did you come and find me for Dick?"I asked, stopping in my tracks and looking up at him once we were outside. The cold air nipped at my flesh as I noticed how cold it was out here. The soft wind blew loose strands of hair around, tickling the back of my neck.  
"Captain Sobel wanted me to give you this." He said, plucking a box from his pocket and showing me the badges within. I gasped slightly, my hand coming up to my mouth.

"I'm being promoted?" I stammered, not quite believing it. If I wasn't in such a drunken state I supposed I could have regulated my reaction, rather than acting like he'd just proposed.  
"Thank you." I whispered, pulling him into a hug. He chuckled softly, patting my back.  
"I think I need to get you to bed." He laughed, placing a hand on the small of my back and pushing me along. The walk back was quiet as Dick just trained his eyes on me, concentrating on not letting me fall and injure myself.

I soon found myself in the barracks, sat on my bed as Dick helped me free my hair. He loosened my tie gently too before slowly easing it from around my neck.  
"Thanks Dick." I smiled, letting a yawn escape my mouth.  
"You're welcome." He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corner slightly. I smiled back, peeling back my covers as I did so. He laughed softly as I crawled into bed, pulling my covers around me and quickly drifting off into sleep while still in my uniform.

I woke up in the middle of the night, my uniform clinging to my moist skin. My breathing was laboured as I broke from unconsciousness into reality. For a brief moment, I had no idea where I was as the darkness engulfed me. I just laid there, my breathing being the loudest noise in the room. I kicked the covers back from myself, unable to take the heat any longer. It did little to relieve me though as my shirt stuck to my skin. My head was pounding and I needed water. I knew I had none on me so I quietly crawled out of bed and rummaged through my kit. I managed to pull out a plain white shirt and my PT shorts. I got changed in the dark, the material providing a sweet relief from my bodies moisture.

I left my uniform in a heap on the floor, barely able to think of anything else to do with it. My mouth was dry and I felt as though I could pass out. I stumbled through the darkness, hoping that I'd find either Lew or Dick. I held my hands out in front of me, too afraid that I'd fall. It was a futile effort though as my leg collided with the hard metal of the bed, causing me to lurch forwards. I fell into a body, my hands barely managing to catch me. I scrambled backwards, managing to sit on the side of the bed panting before the unfortunate human spoke.  
"Jesus, what's going on?" They whispered, rolling over in their bed to look at me.

The voice thankfully was familiar, meaning that I'd not fallen and had to explain myself to somebody I barely knew.  
"I'm sorry, Lew." I whispered. The bed creaked in protest as Lew sat up. His voice was thick and husky with tiredness but in the dark I could still make out the concern on his face.  
"Viv, what's up?" He asked. Before I could answer him though he brought his palm to my forehead. He kept it there for a minute before retracting it.  
"You're burning up." He stated as I shifted further onto his bed. He lent over, reaching for something on the floor. He sat back up straight with a canteen in his hand. He unscrewed the lid before sniffing at it. I was confused as to why he was doing so as it took my mind a moment to comprehend even his action.

"It's water." He announced, handing it to me. "But only take a sip."  
I did as I was told, feeling the cold water dripping down my throat. It brought a sense of bliss with it as it eased my dry throat. I handed the bottle back to Lew, leaning my head slightly on his shoulder. A small yawn escaped my lips although I felt horrendously sick.  
"Just lay down." Lew commanded me after a moment. My eyes were beginning to close but I knew that I couldn't stay here. I needed to get back to my own bed.  
"I need my bed." I grumbled, weakly shaking my head. I went to get up but Lew's hand wrapped gently around my wrist. Rather than moving, I just looked down at it.

"You're not very well, I can at least keep my eye on you if you're right here." He told me seriously, his dark eyes fixing on my blue orbs. With my mind still being somewhat intoxicated, I couldn't help but let the next few words tumble out of my mouth.  
"I can't sleep in a bed with a married man." I frowned. Lew sighed, one eyebrow raising slightly.  
"That's a valid point but what type of a friend would I be if I left you in this state, huh? It's one night Viv and we're just friends. I don't see a problem with it. You're like a sister to me."

I didn't really listen to Lew. I was already too close to falling asleep. I barely heard any of his words anyway. I didn't even know why my own point had come out of my mouth. It didn't bother me as I knew Lew and I were exactly that - just friends. Without protesting I just laid down on top of the blankets. I was still fairly warm but Lew insisted that I crawled under them to spare myself in the morning. I didn't complain. All I wanted to do was sleep. The one simple thing. I rolled onto my side and was once again engulfed by the darkness.

When I actually woke up again, light was streaming into the barracks. As soon as I opened my eyes my stomach growled in protest of all the alcohol that it had consumed the night before. My head was pounding, dulling all my other senses. I groaned, burying my head into what I thought was the pillow. That was until I heard a similar groan come from beside me. I looked beneath me, realising that I was actually asleep on Lew's arm which he had wrapped around my shoulders. His thumb rubbed small patterns on my upper arms as I just laid beside him. I was thankful that both of us had woken up fully clothed, meaning that neither of us had tried anything stupid in our drunken states.

Lew's head rolled over to face me and he offered me a small smile.  
"Morning." He greeted, his voice still husky like it was the night before. I just managed a moan, feeling too sick to actually do anything else. "I take it you're still feeling rather unwell."  
"Worse." I stated quietly, closing my eyes again. The simple act just made me concentrate on the throbbing more, making it no more bearable. Lew smiled and slipped out of bed before pulling the covers back over me. He moved to his locker for his uniform. He glanced at his watch, muttering a quiet 'Jesus' under his breath.  
"What's up?" I asked, keeping my eyes closed.  
"Lunch in half an hour and then after that Sink's called a parade." He told me. I cracked an eye open, our eyes meeting for a moment.

"Well that should be fun." I grumbled, my stomach doing flips almost as if to augment my point as I spoke. It would be a miracle if I could make it through the parade in my state. If I'd have known I may not have attempted to kill my liver last night.  
"So I suggest you get up." Lew instructed. I groaned, pushing the covers off of me. As soon as the cold air hit my sweaty skin I felt a small wave of relief. I sat up, my stomach churning as I did so. I sat panting on the edge of Lew's bed for a moment, my fingers digging into the mattress as I attempted to hold the contents of my stomach down.

"Just take it slowly." I heard Lew warn me. I merely nodded, unable to force any words out. I got to my shaking feet and attempted to walk towards my bed. My balance was slightly off though so I ended up clutching onto Dick's locker in an attempt to steady myself. I sat down on my own bed now, my body only more sweaty with the effort which it had taken. My head was pounding and I screwed my eyes closed once again. This was going to be an impossible day.

I didn't even notice as Lew walked over and began to rummage through my locker.  
"I think you should take a shower." He said gently, causing me to open my eyes again. He offered me a small smile and I simply nodded. He'd got my clothes, towels and toothbrush on his arm. In the other he held my boots which he handed over to me. I managed to tug them onto my feet before Lew decided to help me back up. I was wobbly on my own feet so Lew placed a hand on the small of my back, which he would then use to guide me to the shower block.

After my shower, I felt somewhat more awake. The water had at least allowed me to feel clean again but now I could only focus on the immense pounding in my head and trying to keep the contents of my stomach. As I emerged from the shower block, I could only worry about my dress uniform. Hopefully it would remain as immaculate as it had been when I put it on. Once Lew and I had dropped my stuff off back at my barracks, we made our way for lunch.  
Men talked excitedly to themselves outside the mess hall although it just turned into one continuous drone. Lew couldn't seem to help but laugh at the state I'd gotten myself into. I was thankful that none of the men seemed to notice me as they were either too drunk themselves or still on a major buzz over the fact that we now had our Jump Wings.

When I eventually sat back down at a table, it was a relief to say the least. The smell of the food only served to make me feel worse and the loud noises of the men only made my pounding head more severe.  
"You look well this morning." Dick couldn't help but smirk as I sat down opposite him. I raised one eyebrow at him as Lew just smirked at his comment.  
"This is why you should never drink." I grumbled, taking my fork and shifting my food around my plate. I knew from past experiences that food could make me feel better but I wasn't sure whether I wanted to take that risk or not. Did I go cold turkey or attempt to make myself feel better?

The lunch hour passed rather quickly. I'd eaten some of my food although it was now taking all my concentration to hold it down. Once I was outside the mess hall, Dick caught up to me.  
"You sure you're going to make it through this parade?" Dick asked me gently. I stared up at his kind green eyes for a moment and nodded.  
"I'll be fine." I whispered. As soon as the words left my mouth though, I regretted it. My stomach churned and I hunched over, my mind set on not covering the path in vomit.

I retched, tears stinging my eyes. I felt a hand soothingly rub my back as I bent double gasping for air. For a moment I was fine but as I began to sit up, a second wave hit me.  
"It's okay. Just get it all up." Dick whispered gently, continuing to rub small circles on my back. I stood up, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. My stomach was still on edge but I didn't feel as though I was going to vomit again.  
"Thank you." I whispered to Dick, slightly embarrassed that he'd just witnessed me throwing up. He just smiled simply at me, his kind eyes staring at me once again. As I pulled myself together, I checked my uniform. Mercifully it was still as pristine as it had been before.  
"Come on." Dick whispered gently, beginning to guide me away. "We don't want to be late."

One thing I was sure of was that my Uncle's parade was excruciatingly painful. I was fighting my stomach, hoping that I wouldn't throw up again. At this point, my main battle was ensuring that I didn't embarrass myself. I'd already embarrassed myself in front of Dick and that was painful enough in itself. With that being said though, I barely heard a word of my Uncle's speech. My ears had only picked up a few phrases throughout the speeches entirety: "stay out of trouble", "You're paratroopers now," "Make us proud." but the one thing I was sure of was that we'd been granted a ten day furlough.


	9. Chapter 9

I sat in the bar beside Florence, a sense of euphoria watching over me. She couldn't help but smile devilishly as I took another sip of my drink. We were on the rear end of our furlough now and tomorrow would merely be dedicated to travelling. It was our last chance to enjoy civilian life and I was certainly going to make the most of it because after tonight, we were both going to be in the army indefinitely.

Spending just over a week with Florence and her family had been one of the best times of my life. They treated me as though I was their equal- which was considerably better as to how my own Aunt would treat me back home. Over the days when I'd been granted a pocket of spare time, I'd thought to myself about what could make Florence join the Army - or any of the other girls for that matter. They all seemed to have a stable life and a strong loving family. Heck, Katherine even had a husband waiting for her back home. I'd had nothing. The main reason I'd joined was in a sense to runaway; to free myself from my blasted Aunt. I'd joined to make a life for myself while the others all seemed to have one already built for them. The love showered upon them was foreign to me and it had clearly been shown upon my arrival.

"Are you really sure that your parents won't mind?" I had asked Florence, as my piercing blue eyes rested on her. She shook her head and flashed me a smile, laughing softly at me.

"Do you really think I'd have fetched you back to New York with me if I wasn't sure?" She'd smirked, rolling her eyes playfully at me. A smile tugged at my own lips at her words despite my nerves. I had guessed in a sense that she had been right and even if she wasn't, there wasn't really anything that her parents could do to prevent it at that point. Whether they liked it or not, I was there to stay.

"Viv, don't look so worried." She'd smiled as her green eyes caught a glimpse of my white knuckles gripping onto my suitcase. "I'm sure my parents will love you."

"If not it's going to be an awful long stay." I'd mumbled to myself. Florence rolled her eyes once more but laughed softly at me.

"You're so dramatic." She'd retorted before leading me up the final few steps to her house. I'd taken in a deep breath, my chest rising dramatically. I had stole one last glance up at the large house, trying to mentally prepare myself for whatever may face me in the coming furlough . My anxious blue eyes fixed on the back of Florence's head as she knocked hastily three times upon the door. It seemed to take forever for any answer to come. When the door eventually opened, words had been uttered to Florence in Italian before I had even been noticed. When the soft pair of eyes had rested on me, they had caught me off guard. A few words were uttered to Florence once more and she'd given a nod of confirmation. I'd been pulled straight into a tight embrace by a small, dark haired woman and all I'd done was go rigid, caught off guard by the behaviour.

"To our last night of freedom." Florence smirked, raising her glass.

"To freedom." I smiled, clinking my glass against hers. I sipped at my glass once more, feeling the alcohol trickle down my throat. I set an empty glass back down on the bar, my fingers gently tapping against the wood.

"I'm going to miss this." Florence sighed, gesturing to the bar around us. I knew that she meant much more than that though really. She was going to miss New York, her family, her friends. She had a life back here while all I had to look forward to was the army life. I smiled at her, my eyes flickering up to meet hers after I looked around the bar once more.

"So will I." I admitted. Florence set her glass down now too, reaching her hand out to rest it on my forearm.

"I wish we could have met in different circumstances." She told me, a soft smile on her face before retracting her hand. "We could have had a ball. You'd have loved it here, Viv. We could have gone out on the town, been pampered like princesses.."

She sounded so nostalgic as she talked and I couldn't help but be mesmerised by her words. I'd always wanted to visit New York, whether it was at the height of its glory or not. I agreed with Florence though, I wished we had met under circumstances but if we hadn't met in the army, we wouldn't know how courageous the other truly was. Florence and I already had such a close relationship, I couldn't help but wonder how different our lives would of been if we'd met sooner.

"We can still do it after the war." I told her seriously, a smile tugging at my lips. "Once all this is over I can come down and visit you We can do everything you just said and more. It will give us something to look forward to."

"I guess you're right." Florence nodded, her lips pursing slightly. "I'm sure my mother will look forward to having you again."

"I'd look forward to seeing her again." I chuckled. Mrs Lentini had been one of the most loving people that I'd ever met. After a week I felt like part of the family with how much she fussed over me. In a week she seemed to have made up for any lack of love that had been present in my life.

"Her and papa think of you as another daughter." She told me seriously, her eyes sparkling. "I just knew they'd love you."

"How could you not love this?" I snorted, gesturing at myself. I raised an eye at Florence, jokingly daring her to challenge me.

"It's a long list.." She told me, amusement present in her voice. I couldn't help but chuckle. As I did so, my eye caught sight of the clock on the bar wall.

"Is that the time?" I gasped, surprised at how fast our evening had flown by. We'd only meant to go out for a few hours, knowing full well that we'd have to be up early the following morning to make our train. I wanted to stay out, to enjoy the precious time that I would not get for so long, but I knew that would be irresponsible of me. I had a duty now and I was going to fulfill it, even if it meant internally disappointing myself every now and again. I couldn't risk being late back to camp as Sobel would never, ever, let me hear the end of it. Instead, I grabbed my belongings, slipped off my chair, and ensured that my dress fell as it should. Florence did the same without a word, gathering up her few belongings too.

"Do you remember the way home yet?" Florence asked as we headed towards the door.

"Not for the life of me." I chuckled, knowing that I would not be able to navigate the streets in my wildest of dreams, especially in the dark.

We were nearly at the door when two men in army uniforms stepped into our paths. I looked up at them, my eyes scanning their features as we came to an abrupt stop.

"What are two beautiful broads such as yourselves doing leaving so early?" The taller of the two males asked me. His blonde hair was combed back neatly, his green eyes settled upon me. His partner, a light haired brunette, stood in front of Florence, a smile etched upon his face.

"Well.." I began, glancing at his arm and catching sight of two chevrons. I spoke in a sweet voice, my eyes innocently widening "Corporal, we really need to get going so would you please let us past?"

"How often do you get the chance to dance with real men?" The brunette asked, raising one eyebrow slightly.

"All the time actually." I told him, one eyebrow raising. My previous tone was dropped, being replaced instead by the voice I would use with my men when we were training. "and we really need to get going."

I went to push past him, my shoulder hitting his chest. He moved back slightly, taken off guard by the strength behind me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Florence do the same. For a split second I thought we were free, that our evening would go undisturbed. Instead, I felt a hand grasp my wrist, jerking my arm back suddenly. I stumbled slightly, losing my balance in my heels. I caught myself though, not giving the blonde the satisfaction of seeing that I was physically weaker than him.

"Where do you think you're going." He growled, his eyes now dark and threatening. "We asked you to dance. You don't turn soldiers down."

He stated this as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, as though wearing a uniform instantly placed him on a pedestal. I just scoffed at him, not being able to refrain from rolling my eyes.

"You have to earn the respect that comes with the uniform." I told him in an icy voice, my eyes settling on his. I refused to move my eyes away as we just stared at one another, daring the other to break eye contact.

The room around us seemed to have gone strangely quiet. I could feel Florence's worried glance piercing into me. She was hovering behind me, unsure of how to react to the situation herself. We were both women that could defend ourselves, both physically and verbally, yet Florence seemed to conduct herself like a real lady when we were no longer in uniform. I however wasn't about to let somebody else walk all over me, especially when they were being a jerk.

"What would a broad like you know about it, huh, as you sit at home all day safe and sound because we're out there fighting a war." He spat. With each word, his fingers pressed harder into my flesh, threatening to bruise my fair skin.

"Vivian, don't." I heard Florence murmur as I straightened up to my full height, shoulders square.

"As an officer in the 101st, I think I know more than you." I told him, my gaze sharp now. For a moment he just stared at me but slowly a smile spread across his face, a barking laughter escaping his lips although he did not let go of me.

"You hear this, Bill?" He laughed, tearing up slightly as he clearly thought I was having him on. "This broad tells me she's in the 101st. You ever heard of such a thing?"

I glanced at the two men, both wearing looks of clear amusement on their faces. Florence looked at me, giving me a look which told me just to let this play out as it was due to the mere hope that they would just let us go. As the brunette had let go of her, it seemed to be working. The only problem was that the blonde's grip was only tightening on me as his laughter began to die down.

"I don't think she appreciates what we do." The brunette, Bob, said in a suddenly serious tone. His laughter had instantly vanished, leaving his brows furrowed together as he frowned over at me.

"Do you have any idea what we do for you?" The blonde snarled, his face growing closer to my own. I tried to pull away but his grip on my arm prevented it. I briefly glanced over at Florence, noting how she was edging closer to the bartender to signal that we could potentially do with his help. However, before I was sure that she had done this, my face was roughly grabbed, forcing me to look at the blonde.

At this point, most women would have averted their eyes, refusing to look him in the face as a sign of submission. Instead I looked straight into his green eyes which were now burning with rage, unimpressed by the fact that a woman had dared to challenge his authority.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you." He spat, his accent only seeming to grow thicker the more enraged he became. Finger nails were now digging into the fleshy part of my cheek, preventing me from turning my head away from him. If I didn't make a move soon, I was going to be at this guys mercy and unable to defend myself. "You do as I say, and you certainly do not deny me a dance."

"When you ask so nicely, it's just impossible to say no." I told him, the sarcasm dripping from my voice like venom. For a moment, it looked as though my comment had gone straight over his head but I watched the recognition slowly dawn upon him.

"You little bitch." He spat, removing his hand from my face. I watched his arm raise into the air, ready to slap my cheek. Before this could happen though, instinct took over and I lurched forward, ensuring that my head collided with his nose. Instantly blood poured from it, causing his hand to divert from me to my nose. As he let go of me, my right arm was sharply jolted around, causing a pain to resonate up my arm. I gasped slightly, snatching it away from him.

For a second, the whole bar seemed to still. Customers had turned around in their seats now to see the scene which was unfolding around them while both Florence and the brunette seemed to look on in disbelief of what had just happened right before their eyes. Silence had settled over the bar, nobody saying anything. The only sound was my rugged breathing as I tried to tolerate the pain in my arm and the blonde's stream of profanities as blood seeped from his fingers, dripping onto his uniform.

"I think it's best if you both leave." The bartender finally called, shattering the silence. I looked over at him, trying to determine who he meant. Did he mean the blonde or I, us females or the males which had challenged us as we were on our way out anyway. As my eyes met his, I momentarily sought for answers.

Before I could find any though, I found myself toppling over with a slight awareness that something had hit me in the face. I felt the sensation of falling before my head smacked off a wooden beam, interrupting my fall. I heard chairs around me screeching as men jumped up, ready to challenge the soldier who had clearly never heard the definition of chivalry. As I sat there, pulling my thoughts together, Florence knelt beside me and mumbled about how we should get out before the situation escalated further. I just looked up at her and nodded, knowing that it would do me no favours worsening the situation.

I was helped to my shaky feet, Florence wrapping an arm around my waist to ensure that I would not take another tumble in my heels. The tension in the bar was now thick, nobody making a move to attack the other. It was a stand off. The soldiers were clearly outnumbered but the men who had stood up still held some respect for the military. It was unclear as to whether anything would happen so it was best that we escaped while we still could.

As we walked to the door, my heels clicking with every step, all eyes were fixated upon us. Nobody said anything, allowing silence to engulf the room. When we were almost at the door, despite Flo's quite objections, I came to a stop. I glared over at the blonde soldier despite the pain behind my eye, ensuring that our gaze met.

"I hope you're prepared to pay the price for striking a superior officer." I announced, my voice surprisingly sturdy and level as I delivered his ultimatum. He didn't move, clearly now unsure as to whether I had been lying before. The chance that I was an officer seemed to visibly cross his mind, demonstrating that he knew how much trouble he would be in should I encounter him again or be able to track him down.

With that said, I followed Florence out of the bar, my legs threatening to give way beneath me. Once we were outside, the mild evening air nipped at my flesh, causing slight goosebumps to appear. Florence did not let go of me despite my protests, suggesting that I looked worse than I felt.

"You shouldn't have done that." She told me sternly, her gaze harsh as she looked at me. "You don't know what he could have done."

"Somebody would have stepped in." I told her, wincing slightly as I flexed my fingers gently.

"You don't know that for certain." She added, disdain clear in her voice. "You're not in uniform, Vivian. They can't distinguish you as an officer and if you wore it on these streets they wouldn't believe you anyway."

"Why not?" I frowned, the idea not sitting well with me. "Why shouldn't women be allowed to fight for their country? We have as much right to it as men. They expect us to do so many tasks so why can't we choose which ones we participate in. Whatever they can do, we can do too."

"That's not the point." She told me, her voice softening. "They just don't want to believe that you can do it."

"Because they think us weak."

"Partially that, yes." She nodded, seeming to let the matter lie there. She knew that I would argue my point without losing strength so it was pointless to argue against me. In this modern age there was just no longer the proof that women couldn't do jobs that were supposed to be for men. "But that doesn't matter right now. We best get you cleaned up."

The rest of our work home was in silence, the only sound being that of the city. The worked back seemed longer than it had been before but I didn't complain. My now aching muscles were just twitching to get home, to lay down and sleep in order to forget the events of the last hour.

When we finally made it to the door, Florence let go of me. My legs were still trembling beneath me, causing me to have to grab on to the railings in order to maintain my balance. I could hear her fumbling with the key as I closed my throbbing eye. I heard the door creak open and I opened my eyes once again. I moved forwards slowly, offering Florence a small smile as she held the door open for me.

"Girls, where have you been?" Mrs Lentini shouted as she came down the stairs, clearly concerned by the hour that we had arrived home. As she came into view, she had opened her mouth to say something else. She stopped on the stairs, her eyes widening as she looked me over. She let out a gasp before rushing down, instantly pawing over me. "Vivian, what's happened."

"She got into a fight." Florence told her mother flatly, arms folded as she lent against the door. For a moment it looked as though she was about to give me another lecture but that worry died away as a small smirk made its way onto her face. "But she sure taught that guy that no means no."

Her mother tutted but didn't say anything, guiding me into the kitchen. I obliged, merely following her actions. She pulled out a chair for me before muttering in Italian to Florence once more. I had no idea what she was saying but with Florence's actions, it was clear that she was firing off instructions. A bowl of warm water was fetched over along with a cloth before Mrs Lentini turned back to me. Her brown eyes were full of concern as she ordered me to tilt my head back.

As the cloth of warm water was pressed to my head, I hissed slightly. For a second Mrs Lentini stopped but then she continued to dab, presumably washing blood away from my forehead.

"You need to look after yourself more." Mrs Lentini told me as Florence hove red by my side. "I know that you're a capable girl, Vivian, but men are stronger."

"Yes, Mrs Lentini." I told her through gritted teeth, hissing once again as she touched a tender patch of skin.

A silence washed over us once again as Mrs Lentini patched me up. It wasn't too bad, mainly a sting until she poured alcohol over my cuts to ensure that they were clean. Once she was satisfied, she gathered up her things and kissed Florence and I goodnight. As she did so, her voice cracked slightly but nobody mentioned it. She was clearly afraid of us leaving in the morning as she did not know whether we would return to her again.

On the way up the stairs, I had caught sight of myself in the mirror. My eye was already puffy, with a light bruise appearing just above my cheek. I'd let out a small sigh, knowing that all it would bring was questions once I arrived back at our camp.

Before long we were both sat in Florence's bedroom, both tucked up in bed. Neither of us had said anything for a while, letting our minds reflect on our furlough. It had felt like an age that we had been home and it saddened me to leave it behind. Here, with the Lentini's I had felt part of a proper family, something which I had not felt for the majority of my life. I knew that my Uncle loved me but it had never been the same because of his wife who despised me. I was a burden to here so I could never truly enjoy life there - especially considering that I lived with my Aunt more than Uncle due to his occupation.

"Thank you for fetching me here." I found myself telling Florence, my eyes a blank stare for a moment as I was concentrating on my thoughts. "I couldn't have gone back to my Aunt, y'know."

Florence looked up at me, her eyes brimming with concern. She knew of why I left but she didn't know to what extent my Aunt had treated me. "You're always welcome here."

Her voice was warm as she spoke, her eyes setting upon me. Her smile was genuine and I couldn't help but offer her a small one in return. "Both Mama and Papa like you very much. They've told me how they're looking forward to your visits once this is all over."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief, the words snapping me out of my trance. I looked at her, unable to pick up any sense of lies or an exaggeration. Sensing only the truth, my heart swelled with pride, knowing that I finally almost belonged somewhere.

"They see you as another daughter. I wouldn't be surprised if they started to write to you after we leave tomorrow."


End file.
